Hammer-wielding dollar-store thief sent girl to hospital, police said

A robber used a hammer to strike a 17-year-old girl, an employee of a dollar store near Manassas.

On Tuesday, January 13, at 12:38 p.m., police went to the Dollar and Gift store at 7630 Streamwalk Lane, near Interstate 66 and Sudley Road, to investigate a robbery. They learned a man entered the store and approached the counter where the two employees, a 17-year-old girl, and a 25-year-old woman, stood.

The man brandished a hammer and demanded money from the registers. The man then forced the two employees to walk to the office at the rear of the store, where the owner, a 44-year-old man, sat.

At that point, the two employees ran for the back door, where the suspect followed before striking the 17-year-old girl with the hammer, police said.

The employees eventually fled the store, and the man suspect went back inside, went to the office, and tried to strike the owner with the hammer. The owner avoided being hit and attempted to run towards the back door, police said.

Once outside, the suspect caught up with him and pushed him to the ground, and then went back inside and grabbed a money bag before fleeing, police said.

The owner initially chased the suspect, who got away. The owner and the employees went back into the store, where they encountered officers.

A police K-9 and helicopter assistance from Fairfax County police searched the area for the suspect who was not located. An ambulance took the 17-year-old to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The owner reported minor injuries. An undisclosed amount of money was reported missing.

Police are searching for a Hispanic man, between 22-25 years old, between 5 feet 9 inches ad 5 feet 9 inches tall, between 190 and 210 pounds.

The man wore a green hat, an orange hooded sweatshirt, black gloves, blue jeans, black boots, and a hammer.