Detectives from several agencies across the valley are trying to determine if a recent rash of robberies in which the assailants used a shotgun are related.

There have been at least five shotgun robberies over the past two weeks.

The latest incident was Thursday night in Salt Lake City. Two men walked into the Formosa Grille, 2115 E. 2100 South, about 8:45 p.m. One was armed with a shotgun.

The men took money from the cash register and then robbed one of the patrons of his money and a cell phone, Salt Lake City Police Sgt. Rich Brede said.

That robbery comes on the heels of two similar incidents investigated by the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.

A couple who had just finished eating dinner at a Salt Lake County restaurant was approached by a man with a shotgun in the parking lot Wednesday night.

The couple had just walked out of the Cancun restaurant near 1900 E. Fort Union Blvd. When they got inside their car, a man with a shotgun came up and tapped on the window, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Paul Jaroscak. The driver hit the gas pedal, however, and sped away without further incident.

Witnesses reported another car in the area. Investigators were trying to determine Thursday if that car was connected to the gunman.

On March 16, Neil's Halibut N Chips at 4900 South and Highland Drive was robbed by two men, one armed with a shotgun, Jaroscak said.

"They went in the back door after (the restaurant) closed, demanded cash and drove away," he said.

The descriptions of the robbers and vehicle in that incident were similar to Wednesday's incident, he said.

In addition to the sheriff's office's cases, there have been at least two more similar robberies in the Salt Lake Valley.

In West Jordan Tuesday, two men wearing masks, one armed with a double-barrel shotgun, entered a pizza parlor near 2800 West and 7800 South and robbed the restaurant.

Last week, a Teriyaki Express near 1950 W. 5400 South in Taylorsville was robbed in a similar fashion.

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"We are aware there have been other robberies with suspects dressed in similar ways and using similar weapons," Jaroscak said.

All of those cases will be reviewed, and detectives from different police agencies, who meet weekly, will compare notes at their next gathering, he said.

Investigators say there are similarities between all five robberies. Some of the age descriptions of the robbers from witnesses have varied. But other descriptions have been the same, and detectives believe at least some, if not all, of the cases are connected.


E-mail: preavy@desnews.com

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