HEATHER N. GRIMMER/CONTRIBUTOR - This tan jacket was left behind at the scene of the Crosby's gas station robbery in Gasport Sunday night. Also left behind were a ski mask and two knives.

In two of Sunday's three gas station robberies, the suspect shed their coat and ski masks after leaving the gas station. Also, a total of four knives used were left behind at the scenes.

According to a report by the Niagara County Sheriff's office, when the suspect fled the NOCO station at approximately 3:20 p.m., he removed his blue ski mask and ran eastbound toward the Woodlands. The mask and knife were located in the snowbank behind the business.

COURTESY NCSO - This jacket was found at the scene of  the NOCO robbery on Sunday. (click to enlarge)

The suspect then got in to a small white car that was parked at Norwood and Parkwood drives, which is believed to have had two other people in it. The vehicle left northbound on Parkwood Drive.

Surveillance video was secured from the gas station, showing the suspects coat, which had a Union Jack flag on the back. That same jacket was also found in the field between the gas station and the Woodlands.

A few hours later — at about 6:30 p.m. — at the Crosby's gas station on Rochester Road in Gasport, a suspect walked in wearing a black ski mask with holes for the eyes and mouth cut out of it, blue jeans, no gloves, black shoes, and a long tan jacket with a hood.

The assailant had a knife in each hand and told the clerk, "give me the money, I don't want any problems," according to the Sheriff's Office report.

The clerk gave the unknown suspect the cash register and he took approximately $300 and left the store, heading east around the building on foot, before turning north and running towards the train tracks north of Telegraph Road.

The tan jacket, two knives, and the ski mask that the assailant used were found outside on the southeast corner of the store by responding police. Footprints in the snow heading north towards the train tracks were found by patrol, but a canine search did not locate the suspect.

While an official report of the third robbery of the day — which happened shortly before 11 p.m. at the South Transit Road Sunoco station in the Town of Lockport — is still not available, it was reported over the police scanner that the assailant had left a knife on the counter of the gas station. There has been no mention of a ski mask or jacket left behind at the third scene.

The Sheriff's Office has not yet publicly stated whether the three crimes are related.

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