By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – Two armed robberies with similar characteristics are under investigation by the St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office.

The two incidents, which have not been positively linked, took place within three miles of each other in a span of four hours, said Maj. Mike Tregre, spokesperson for the St. John Sheriff’s Office.

The first robbery took place around 6:20 p.m. Tuesday when two black men walked into Harper Fashion and Beauty Supplies, 1124 W. Airline Hwy. in LaPlace, just before closing. Tregre said upon entering the store the first suspect, described as having a dark complexion and a full beard, and wearing a white t-shirt, blue jean shorts, approached the counter with a handgun telling the employee to &#8220give it up.”

The employee opened the register, and the suspect took an undisclosed amount of currency, while the second suspect, a black male described as clean shaven, and wearing a light blue t-shirt and blue jean shorts, acted as a lookout. Both subjects then fled the store in an easterly direction.

About four hours later, employees at the Hampton Inn on US 51 in LaPlace reported to police that two men, one armed with a gun, entered the lobby of the hotel and demanded money from the register.

Tregre said one suspect, a black male with a dark complexion wearing a white t-shirt, blue jean shorts and a red bandanna around his face, grabbed the register drawer while the second suspect, a black male wearing a red pull over shirt with white stripes, blue jean shorts and a white cap, stood at the front door and acted as a lookout. The report did not specify whether either of the suspects had a beard.

The suspects fled the hotel in an unknown direction with an undisclosed amount of money.

Tregre said both incidents are still under separate investigations, but detectives are looking into the possibility that the two are linked. Anyone with any information is asked to call the St. John Sheriff’s Office at 985-652-9514.