Armed robbery reported at Callawassie General Store

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office is investigating an armed robbery at an Okatie convenience store early Thursday.

Deputies were called to the Callawassie General Store on Callawassie Drive just after 4 a.m., moments after the robbery took place, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. A female employee said she had just arrived at the store to open for the day when she was approached by a man with a bandana over his face, a Sheriff's Office news release said.

The clerk told deputies she tried to pull the door shut, but the suspect overpowered her and pulled out a handgun, the release said. The man demanded money from the store's safe and, when she wasn't able to open it, stole cigarettes and cigars and ran, according to the release.

The clerk was not injured in the incident.

The suspect was described as a black male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with two horizontal lines on the back, dark pants and red sneakers. No more detail was available.

Anyone with information is asked to contact either Investigator Staff Sgt.. Eric Calendine at 843-255-3427 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC (274-6372) or text the word TIPSC with a message to CRIMES (274637).

This story was originally published December 18, 2014 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Armed robbery reported at Callawassie General Store ."