A gunman walked into a convenience store in the 50 block of Afton Parkway, pulled out a handgun, and demanded everything in the register before fleeing on foot toward Farragut Street — and now Portsmouth investigators are asking the public to help put a name to his face. The robbery happened around 8:30 p.m. on September 30 in the city's historic Cradock neighborhood, and police say the clerk handed over an unknown amount of cash before the suspect took off.
According to WAVY.com, the Portsmouth Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in identifying the suspect responsible. Police also released surveillance footage showing the suspect demanding cash at gunpoint, according to a Portsmouth Police Department social media release confirming the timeline of the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Portsmouth Police Investigations Bureau at 757-393-8536. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, reach the service at *TIPS (*8477), or submit information through the Crime Line's P3 Tips app or at www.portscrimeline.com.
A Historic Neighborhood Built Around a Commercial Spine
The robbery took place along a stretch of Afton Parkway that runs through Cradock, a neighborhood originally planned in 1918 by the U.S. Housing Corporation to house World War I-era workers at the nearby Norfolk Naval Shipyard, per the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Afton Parkway has long served as a central commercial thoroughfare for the historic district, making it a natural target for opportunistic street-level crime even in a neighborhood otherwise defined by its planned, small-town character.
WVEC reported an armed robbery on Portsmouth Boulevard, as reported by WVEC.
Crime Trends in a City Still Working to Turn the Corner
The robbery lands amid a mixed picture for public safety in Portsmouth. Police Chief Stephen Jenkins reported in April that first-quarter violent crime data showed a 25% drop in homicides and a 14% decrease in aggravated assaults compared to the same period in 2025, even as property thefts rose — a trend Jenkins described as improving but complex, according to 13News Now.
Portsmouth's Crime Line accepts anonymous tips. Investigators are hoping the public can help solve the Afton Parkway case.
