A gunman wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a red-and-white basketball design robbed a convenience store on East 38th Street in Marion early Wednesday, then ran north across the street and disappeared. The Grant County Sheriff's Office says the armed robbery happened at approximately 12:28 a.m. at 1422 E. 38th Street, and detectives are now asking the public for help identifying the man responsible.
The suspect, described as a Black male, was armed with a handgun and wore red gloves along with the distinctive hoodie, according to a post from the Grant County Sheriff's Office. The agency titled its appeal “Robbery Suspect – Assistance Needed” and is urging residents to share the post as widely as possible in hopes someone recognizes the clothing or the man's build. After the robbery, the suspect fled on foot, running north across 38th Street, per the sheriff's office.
The targeted business sits at 1422 E. 38th Street, address records show it operates as a Village Pantry, also known as Value Express Pantry, in the city's Home Corner area, according to ShowMeLocal. The store sits across East 38th Street from the grounds of the Marion Veterans Affairs medical center, placing the crime scene in a heavily trafficked stretch of south-central Marion.
A Store With a Troubled History
This is not the first time this particular Village Pantry has been targeted. On November 18, 2016, two armed men entered the store at roughly 4:05 a.m. and forced two clerks to hand over cash and cigarettes, according to a report from WOWO. Nearly three years later, on May 22, 2019, the same location was robbed again during the early morning hours by a suspect who covered his face with a bandana and wore mismatched gloves, per Grant County Crime Stoppers.
The pattern extends beyond this single address. In September 2018, a man armed with a hammer held up a different Village Pantry near 38th Street and Lincoln Boulevard, as reported by WTHR. Commercial properties along the corridor have also drawn burglars in the past, including a March 2017 overnight break-in at Weagley's Auto on the 1100 block of East 38th Street, where an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen, WOWO reported at the time.
Recent Police Activity in the Neighborhood
The stretch of 38th Street near the robbery scene has also seen recent law enforcement activity unrelated to this case. In April 2025, Indiana State Police investigated an officer-involved shooting near East 36th Street and South Washington Street, just blocks from the Village Pantry, after a deputy shot a suspect who was armed with a knife, according to WTHR.
The Grant County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the investigation into Wednesday's robbery, operates under Sheriff Del Garcia. Detective Sergeant Brad Moore is handling the case and can be reached at 765-662-9836, extension 4212, for anyone with information about the suspect's identity.
Legal Stakes and How to Report Tips
Because the suspect displayed a handgun during the theft, the crime is classified under Indiana Code § 35-42-5-1 as a Level 3 felony armed robbery. That charge carries a sentencing range of 3 to 16 years in prison, with an advisory sentence of 9 years and fines of up to $10,000, according to the Law Offices of Jason Jackson & Associates.
Anyone with information can also submit an anonymous tip through Grant County Crime Stoppers, which offers cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest or felony indictment. Tips can be submitted by phone at 765-662-8477 or through the P3tips mobile app. Investigators have not said whether cash or merchandise was taken during Wednesday's robbery, whether store clerks were harmed, or whether the case is connected to other recent armed holdups in Grant County.
