A robber armed with a hammer stormed a Canal Street business Friday morning, grabbed cash along with the entire register and then slipped onto a city bus to get away, according to New Orleans police. The holdup was reported around 10:30 a.m. in the 300 block of Canal Street in the Central Business District. Investigators say the suspect threatened the business with the hammer, forced staff to hand over money and left on foot long enough to catch a Regional Transit Authority bus, as reported by WDSU.
According to WDSU, the New Orleans Police Department said the suspect walked into the store, demanded cash and left with the register before boarding an RTA bus to an unknown destination. Digital editor Metia Carroll reported that officers have not released a description of the suspect or the bus route and that the investigation remains active.
Suspect Fled On Public Transit
Police say the getaway unfolded on an RTA bus, a detail that can complicate tracking a suspect in the busy CBD. Canal Street is served by several bus and streetcar lines, and investigators could turn to driver logs and system cameras to retrace the rider’s path, per the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority.
Hoodline recently highlighted another hammer-related crime in the city, a late-night carjacking involving a woman in Bayou St. John, underscoring how blunt tools have appeared in multiple recent robberies; see Hammer Thugs Carjack Woman.
Canal Street Context And What Investigators Need
Canal Street has long been a hotspot for downtown robberies and other serious offenses, a trend reflected in the New Orleans Police Department’s superintendent major-offense logs. Per NOPD, investigators regularly record major incidents along Canal and neighboring CBD blocks.
Detectives are asking anyone who was in the area around the time of the robbery or who has relevant security footage to come forward. Tips can be submitted to Crimestoppers Greater New Orleans at (504) 822-1111, which accepts anonymous information, per Crimestoppers Greater New Orleans.
