Employee sees familiar face during east-side liquor store robbery

The robbery of an east Wichita liquor store Tuesday night had a different twist, police said: The clerk recognized one of the robbers as the nephew of his ex-girlfriend.

The holdup occurred at about 10:30 p.m. at Celebration Wine and Spirits in the 300 block of South Greenwich Road, Wichita police Lt. James Espinoza said. That’s just north of Kellogg.

Two men came into the liquor store and demanded money from the register at gunpoint, Espinoza said. The 30-year-old clerk complied. As the two men were leaving, they grabbed a bottle of liqueur and then fled the area on foot.

The clerk recognized one of the robbers as the 19-year-old nephew of his former girlfriend, Espinoza said. Authorities are now looking for him.

The second suspect is an unidentified black male about 6 feet tall and 160 pounds, the clerk told police. He wore a black Wichita State hooded sweatshirt, a white mask and dark pants.

This story was originally published January 6, 2016 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Employee sees familiar face during east-side liquor store robbery."