Ankeny’s robbery trial set for October

Published 10:13 am Tuesday, May 17, 2016

A man accused of robbing Ankeny’s Mini Mart No. 4 on Nov. 19, 2015, is set to go to trial in October after a Monday hearing in Mower County court.

Bradley Matthew Clark, 20, of Austin pleaded not guilty to one count of felony aggravated robbery possessing a dangerous a weapon on Jan. 28.

Officers responded to Ankeny’s Mini Mart No. 4, 902 12th St. SW, around 8:45 a.m. Nov. 19, 2015, to a report of an armed robbery.

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The suspect, later identified as Clark, was said to have left on foot walking toward the fairgrounds, according to the report.

Officers arrived and searched the area, finding a homeowner with a surveillance video in the 1800 block of Eighth Avenue Southwest. The video showed Clark riding a bike past the residence.

An Ankeny’s employee reported she was at the south end of the counter when Clark came into the store and demanded money wielding a fixed-blade hunting knife. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with white swirls, a red ski mask that covered his nose and mouth, and gloves. The employee gave him about $175 from the register in various denominations.

Clark reportedly told the employee to get on the floor and then he went to the door. When the employee knew he was gone, she pushed the alarm button, locked the door and called 911.

Officers confirmed the employee’s story through the store’s video surveillance, which showed the suspect running across the parking lot toward some pine trees on the west side of the parking lot. Officers spoke with neighbors and identified Clark as a possible suspect, according to the report. Clark had been residing on the 700 block of 18th Street Southwest, a few blocks from the robbery.

Officers found Clark later in November and found the clothing and knife allegedly used in the robbery.

Officers arrested Clark and interviewed him at the Mower County Jail, but the report stated he initially did not speak much or respond to questions but asked several of his own.

In an interview, Clark reportedly admitted to the robbery and said he used the money to buy drugs and that nobody else was involved.