String of Armed Robberies

The police took a man into custody last night.  They say he held all 4 up at gunpoint.

One clerk's experience during a brazen armed robbed, Sunday, goes like this: "He said he's going to count until 10 and if I don't do it within 10 seconds he is going to shoot in my head."  Williamsport City Police arrested Jess Keck.  They believe he is responsible for that robbery and three others in Lycoming County.

Another clerk says, "he walked in and I thought he was a customer. I came out of my office and he just came to me and showed me the gun and said put the money in the bag."  Although Keck is in custody employees say they don't want to show their faces or give names out of fear.  They say it was "scary. I was crying."

The stores hit since last Wednesday include a Cigarette Outlet store in Loyalsock Township, another at Nittany Minit Mart just three blocks down, the Cigarette Outlet in Old Lycoming Township, and Uni-Mart in Williamsport. The check cashing facility already has pretty thick glass, but more precautions, such as adding a panic button and more cameras, will be added.  For some employees that just won't be enough, "actually I'm not going to work now at my other store because I'm really scared and that's why we are just going to work up here together."

Keck now faces a laundry list of charges out of Williamsport. It's expected he will face more from the State Police once the investigation is complete.