FRANKLIN (Somerset) — A trio of armed robberies within the span of a week is under investigation, according to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities say police responded to early morning robberies on Aug. 6, 9, and 10.

The first incident last weekend took place shortly after 5 a.m. on Saturday at a hotel on Cottontail Lane, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald said. A hotel worker told police that the male suspect had a black handgun.

The employee was forced to lay on the floor as the robber took his cellphone and money from the register, according to McDonald. Cops responded to a panic alarm but the suspect was already gone when they arrived.

A convenience store near Hamilton Street was the next target. McDonald said that shortly before 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, police were called to an attempted robbery.

Again, a male suspect with a black handgun demanded money from the register. However, this time an employee distracted the culprit and knocked the cash drawer to the ground. The robber left empty-handed.

The next day, police responded to reports of a robbery shortly after 12:45 a.m. at a gas station on Franklin Boulevard. McDonald said two suspects were involved. One pointed a handgun at a worker while the other took cash from the register.

According to McDonald, both robbers were described as Black males in their late teens. The armed suspect was five foot seven inches with a thin build while the other was heavier and stood at around five foot five inches.

McDonald confirmed that local and county investigators are working to figure out if the cases are related. Anyone with information on the robberies can reach out to the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100.

Rick Rickman is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at richard.rickman@townsquaremedia.com

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