Beacon Road man robbed in front yard

A Rich Hill community man said he was the victim of an armed robbery Tuesday morning, Sept. 4, in the front yard of his home in the 2600 block of Beacon Road.

The 27-year-old victim told Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office deputies he was packing his SUV for work about 5:30 a.m. when a man wearing dark clothes, gloves and a camouflage ski mask approached him from behind, pointed a gun at him and ordered him to freeze.

The victim said the man, who spoke with a “strong Southern drawl,” then ordered him to dump the contents of his backpack in the SUV’s front seat.

The man then stole a prescription bottle of hydrocodone pain pills, from the items dumped from the backpack, along with a prescription bottle of anti-inflammatory pills, a clear pair of safety glasses, a “Duke Energy” flashlight and $55 cash but touched nothing else, the report said.

The incident report suggested the man tried to force the victim into the house by noting the victim “told the subject he was not able to enter his home because he had accidentally locked himself out.”

The victim told deputies the man left the scene running north on Beacon Road. 

Additional deputies and a K-9 searched the area but were unable to find the suspect or any usable evidence, the report said.

The suspect is described as about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. Though he said he did not recognize the suspect’s voice and was unable to confirm the suspect’s race due to the dark clothing he was wearing, the report said the victim believed the suspect may be white.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call (803) 283-4136, or CrimeStoppers at 1(888) 274-6372. Anonymous tips also can be e-mailed or texted to www.midlandscrimestoppers.com.

 Contact reporter Reece Murphy at (803) 283-1151