A Scranton man faces charges after officers said he robbed a Turkey Hill convenience store in the city early Friday morning.
Officers responded to 750 Providence Road around 12:16 a.m. on a report of a robbery, police said.
Once on scene, an officer was informed the suspect fled on foot, according to a criminal complaint.
The store clerk described the suspect — later identified as Kevin Parks — as a bald, Black male who was wearing dark clothing including a T-shirt with a fire department logo and carrying a gray towel, police said. He also told officers the man walked toward the pavilion area near the Heritage Trail after the robbery.
While searching the area, an officer spotted a man matching the suspect’s description and told him to stop, but the man fled into the woods near the river, officers said.
The clerk told police the man — who claimed to have a knife — approached the cash register and demanded he empty it, threatening to hurt him if he didn’t comply, according to the criminal complaint.
Fearing for his safety, the clerk handed over the cash, police said. Parks also demanded cigarettes and cigars, officers said.
Officers found Parks — whose address is listed as 409 W. Olive St. — after deploying a K-9 dog, and he surrendered without further incident, police said. The clerk positively identified Parks as the suspect.
Police found the stolen cash, cigarettes and towel in the immediate area, according to the criminal complaint. They also found the cigars while searching Parks, but the knife was not recovered, officers said.
Video surveillance inside the store showed Parks committing the robbery and theft of merchandise, police said. The stolen items and cash had a total value of $172.66, according to the criminal complaint.
After checking his criminal history, officers learned Parks had an active warrant out of Harrisburg, police said. Parks also has guilty convictions related to two retail theft cases in June 1994 and another in August 1994, officers said.
Police transported Parks to Geisinger Community Medical Center for an evaluation after he told officers he was having a mental health crisis, according to the criminal complaint.
Police charged Parks, 54, with robbery involving the threat of immediate serious injury, retail theft, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, evading arrest or detention on foot, and tampering with evidence.
As of Monday, Parks remained in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for July 14 at 10:45 a.m.