Sheriff’s Office investigators and Villa Rica police are looking into a possible link between two Villa Rica armed robberies this past weekend. The first occurred Friday night at the Food Center store at 1701 West Highway 78. The second was on Saturday night at the Rite Aid Pharmacy at 65 Industrial Blvd.

On Friday, Kaveeta Patel and her daughter decided to keep the Food Center open until 9 p.m. even though it had been a slow night. Patel said they wanted to help at least one more customer before closing when a man came in around 8:45 p.m. When the man asked to buy a gallon of gasoline, Patel said she had a feeling it wasn’t going to be a typical visit.

“He wasn’t a regular customer,” Patel said. “I immediately felt a little nervous because there was no one else around.”

Patel said she was organizing the candy aisle while her daughter worked the register.

The man reportedly approached the register with an empty gallon jug and said he wanted to fill the jug with gasoline. He then handed Patel’s daughter a $10 bill to pay for the purchase and watched as she opened the register. The man then pulled out a gun and demanded that Patel’s daughter surrender the money in the register.

“I was scared a little bit,” Patel said. “I told him to take whatever he wanted. It didn’t even take a second.”

Patel said that since she and her husband bought the Food Center two years ago, they haven’t had many problems but, according to the previous owner, the store was a burglary target numerous times in the past.

“We immediately locked the door after he left,” Patel said. “You never know what someone will do and he could have come back.”

On Saturday, a similar incident occurred at the Rite Aid Pharmacy around 9 p.m. Two men entered the store, pulled out a gun and demanded money from the cash register. The men then fled in the direction of the Hampton Court Apartments, according to Villa Rica Police Capt. Keith Shaddix.

Though police are still unsure as to whether or not the robberies are related, Sheriff’s Office Capt. Shane Taylor said it is a possibility.

“We are still in the investigation process,” Taylor said.

The man involved in the Food Center robbery was described as being a black male, medium build, 5 feet 8 inches tall with facial hair. He was reportedly wearing a gray sweat shirt, cargo pants and brown work gloves.

One of the men involved in the Rite Aide robbery was reportedly also a black man wearing a gray sweat shirt. The other man was described as being a black man wearing all black clothing.

Sheriff’s Office investigators and Villa Rica investigators said they are reviewing video footage from both incidents.