Police: Man used donut bag to hide gun in heist

Knightdale police said a man used a Dunkin' Donuts bag to conceal a gun and hold up a Smoker Friendly Tuesday.

Town spokesman Brian Bowman said the man is familiar to shop owners and employees on Knightdale Boulevard where he often begs for change in the parking lots of Dunkin Donuts, Food Lion and Wal-Mart.

Police distributed a surveillance image of the man inside the donut shop minutes before the robbery. They said he asked for a bag and then proceeded next door to the Smoker Friendly, where he pointed the bag-covered pistol at an employee and made him empty the cash register.

At the time of the robbery, the man was wearing a black T-shirt and black pants. He is described as a black man with a goatee, short hair and corn rows. He's between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall and weighs about 220 pounds.

Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call Knightdale police at 919-217-2264.