ADAMS, Mass. — Police are hoping the public can help identify the "grinch" who robbed a Howland Avenue gas station at knifepoint early Thursday morning. 

 

Patrol officers assigned to the midnight shift responded to the Mobil Gas Station at approximately 12:15 a.m. Thursday for what was reported as a masked individual who had brandished a large knife and demanded cash and cigarettes from the store clerk.

 

The person fled on foot prior to police arrival with an undisclosed small amount of U.S. currency and a pack of cigarettes.

 

Surveillance photos provided by the convenience store show a person in jeans, sneakers and an oversized gray hooded sweat shirt entering the store. The suspect has blue scarf or other material over their nose and mouth and is carrying what appears to be a long blade or cook's knife. 

 

Police are requesting assistance in an attempt to identify the person and is also looking for any home surveillance footage from Howland Avenue north of Butler Street toward North Adams as well Old Columbia Street. Anyone with with information can contact police at 413-743-1212.