Police say man was caught after trying to rob gas station a second time

Clara Niel, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read
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Aug. 29—A Frederick man was arrested Thursday after trying to rob a gas station for the second time in three days, police said.

Stefan Alejandro Gajate, 33, robbed the A-1 Mart at 649 Himes Ave., in the Hillcrest area, on Aug. 23, then tried again two days later, but was caught, Frederick police said.

The owner of the gas station that was robbed drove after the man and later told police that the man previously applied to work at the gas station.

Gajate was charged with one count each of robbery, attempted robbery and theft from $100 to $1,500, according to charging documents.

There was no attorney listed for Gajate as of Monday afternoon.

At around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday, the Frederick Police Department responded to the A-1 Mart for a report of a robbery, according to charging documents.

The employee working behind the counter during the time of the robbery told police a man wearing a purple or pink ski mask and werewolf-like gloves put a bag and a note on the counter, charging documents said. The note told the employee to give the man money or he would hurt the employee.

The employee gave him about $200 from the register, charging documents said. The man took the money and fled on foot.

Around 6:06 p.m. Thursday, police again responded to A-1 Mart for an attempted robbery. A man wearing a clown mask and hospital socks as gloves had put a note on the counter that read, "Give me all the money! Please, it's 4 my kids!"

Aside from the differing gloves and masks, the man was wearing the same jacket from Tuesday's robbery, charging documents said.

The employee did not give the man money the second time, and the man fled on foot. The employee pursued the man on foot, and the owner of A-1 Mart drove after the man, following him to the Prospect Hall Apartments complex off Butterfly Lane while calling police, charging documents said.

The man took off the clown mask, and the owner recognized the man as a store patron who had submitted a job application for the gas station, charging documents said.

Police later arrested Gajate and searched his home on Acropolis Way, off Butterfly Lane, where they found the items that were worn during the two robberies.

Gajate is being held in lieu of $15,000 bail, online court records say.

Follow Clara Niel on Twitter: @clarasniel