Portland Police are working with departments in Westbrook and Falmouth to address a series of robberies in the area.
Six businesses have been targeted in less than a week, which police say is unusual.
“We frequently get robberies but we very seldom see a rash of them in such close proximity in this short amount of time,” says Portland Police Lieutenant Robert Martin.
The robber appears to be a man who wears a dark face mask. He uses a gun to demand cash.
To stay safe, Martin encourages shopkeepers to comply with demands and keep as little cash on hand as possible.
Additionally, Martin says shopkeepers are often the best witnesses to these crimes, and attending to details like vocal patterns, objects touched by the robber, and other details may help lead to his capture.