WICHITA FALLS ( KFDX/KJTL ) — A man with three prior convictions of armed robberies in the late 1980s is now charged with two robberies in late August that occurred on two consecutive nights in Wichita Falls.

Anthony Anderson, 54, is charged with the robberies of the Dollar Saver No. 7 on Aug. 30 and the Food Barn across the street on Aug. 31. Anderson is a former employee of the Dollar Saver.

The Dollar Saver robbery was reported just before midnight. A clerk said a man in a mask, a dark hoodie with a bleach stain on the sleeve, sunglasses, and a blue hat came in carrying a machete and white bag and pointed the machete at him.

The clerk said the robber had very large hands and a raspy voice when he demanded money. He left with about $700 and went toward Lincoln Heights apartments. During the entire robbery, the suspect was holding a red lighter in his right hand.

The manager arrived and viewed the surveillance video. Based on the suspect’s mannerisms, he believed him to be Anderson, who had been fired by the store several months earlier for stealing.

A few hours later, police received information from an anonymous person that Anderson had robbed the store and had just come home from a casino.

Police interviewed numerous residents of the apartment complex, and several told them they had heard talk that Anderson robbed the store, and one said Anderson had asked her if she had ever seen clerks counting the money at closing time.

Police found Anderson and interviewed him. They said he first claimed he was asleep at the time of the robbery, then said he was at a casino. During the questioning, police noticed Anderson holding a red lighter in the same hand the robber held an identical one.

In the robbery of the Food Barn the next night, a clerk said a black male in a mask came in and demanded the money. The robber reportedly had his hand in a bag, pointing it at the clerk as if it had a handgun inside.

The clerk said the robber had a raspy voice and large hands, and put the money into the bag and fled toward the Lincoln Heights Apartments.

The manager viewed the surveillance video and said he believed the robber to be Anthony Anderson, a frequent customer.

A search warrant for Anderson’s apartment led to recovery of evidence, including a machete, a hoodie with a bleach stain, a mask, and a bag, all of which matched that in the surveillance video.

Anderson was taken to the police department, and detectives say he first denied any involvement, then later admitted to the robberies.

They said he told them he did not believe the stores would report the robberies to the police and that he had lost his job and was dealing with tough times.

In 1988, Anderson was sentenced to 20 years in prison for two Wichita Falls armed robberies committed within a week in which two victims were shot.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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