After the fifth armed robbery at a local business within a month happened last Thursday night, local law enforcement agencies are devoting even greater time and energy to solving the crimes.

Just after 8 p.m. last Thursday, two masked men wielding handguns robbed The Winery package store, located at 202 W. Louise St. in Bainbridge. The robbers threatened the store’s clerks with their guns and took off with an undisclosed sum of cash.

“[The store’s employees] stated that two black males, both wearing masks and carrying handguns, had entered the store through the front door,” Bainbridge Public Safety Cpl. Nigel Hurst wrote in his incident report of the robbery.

“As they entered, they walked in a crouching manner. They forced both employees to the end of the counter and made [one of them] open the cash register as one of [the robbers] pressed his gun into the [employee’s] right rib cage,” the report stated.

Suspect No. 1 was described as a tall black male, wearing a blue shirt and cap, with a bandanna around his face and carrying a small black handgun.

Suspect No. 2 was described as wearing a black hooded jacket with a black mask over his face, carrying a black and silver automatic handgun. It was also noted that one of the robbers was carrying a pair of handcuffs, which were also used in an Oct. 2 robbery of the Kangaroo on U.S. 27 North.

The Kangaroo on U.S. 27 North was also robbed at gunpoint by two masked men this past July 16.

The Quickbuys store on Georgia 97 South was robbed by a masked man with a gun on July 9.

The Quickbuys store in Climax was robbed on Sept. 7.

The Junior Mall on South Scott Street was robbed by a masked man with a gun on Sept. 12.

Law enforcement have arrested suspects in armed robberies occurring June 9 at Mr. Pip’s on U.S. 27 North and Aug. 31 at the Quick Change in Attapulgus.

Based on surveillance video tapes and incident reports released from the previous robberies, there are some possible similarities, including the suspects’ clothing and mannerisms. However, law enforcement officials aren’t releasing any additional details, other than they are working hard to bring the suspects to justice.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Bainbridge Public Safety and the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office are all actively investigating the recent armed robberies.