The Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office has released these images of the machete-wielding man who robbed the Bolivar Speedway at around 1:30 am Wednesday. (Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office)

BOLIVAR (WJER) - Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s officials say a masked man claimed he had lost his job and had four kids to feed before robbing the Speedway in Bolivar with a machete early Wednesday morning. 

Detective Sergeant Phil Valdez says the man was wearing a black ski mask, sunglasses, a camouflage shirt and gloves, dark sweatpants and white shoes when he entered the gas station around 1:30 am.

“From the video, we can also see that the subject was standing outside, peering into the window, waiting before they had taken the machete from their pants,” he says.

Valdez says three similar robberies have taken place north of Bolivar.

“We’ve also been in contact with Stark County in reference to a couple of armed robberies that were similar to ours that have happened in Stark County, so we’re kind of working together,” he says.

Valdez says the suspect has gotten away with cash from the registers, but it has not been a significant amount of money. He says anyone with information should call the sheriff’s office at 330-339-2000. 

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