Woman tries to rob 3 gas stations in 3 hours

PORTAGE (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A woman is suspected of robbing two gas stations before she led police on a chase.

Portage Police say the first incident happened around 3:30a.m. Sunday at the 3700 block of Gull Road. A Speedway gas station clerk told police an unarmed white female in her late 30's robbed the gas station. The suspect drove off in a red passenger car with a black hood.

Around 6:10a.m. employees of the Meijer gas station on the 5000 block of S. Westnedge reported a female matching the same description tried to rob the gas station. The clerk said she demanded money and said another subject was waiting around the corner armed with a gun. However the clerk did not give her any money and the suspect ran from the store in an unknown direction.

Portage Police officers responded to the scene and found the a vehicle matching the description parked across the street at the Speedway gas station on the 5000 block of S. Westnedge.

The suspect was seen getting into the vehicle and attempting to leave the Speedway gas station. Officers attempted to pull her over. She led police on a chase until she lost control and crashed her vehicle on the 1500 block of E. Kilgore Rd.

The suspect then attempted run but was quickly taken down. The 41-year-old Kalamazoo woman was then taken into custody.

During the police chase an employee from the Speedway gas station called the Portage Police dispatching reporting that the suspect had just robbed her. The suspect threatened the employee with a crow bar and took an undetermined amount of cash.

Anyone with any information about the incident is urged to contact the Portage Police Department, (269) 329-4567 or Silent Observer at (269) 343-2300.