Violent 'ninja robber' suspected in a dozen hold ups in South Florida

Several South Florida police agencies are searching for an increasingly violent gunman dubbed the "Ninja Robber."

He is suspected of hold ups at more than a dozen convenience stores and businesses in Broward and Miami Dade counties in recent months while wearing a dark ninja-style mask and clothing, North Miami Beach Police spokesman Tom Carney said.

Police have compiled several surveillance videos with the hope they will lead to the suspect's identification and capture.

He is suspected of twice robbing a Kwik Stop convenience store on the 18100 block of Northeast 19th Avenue in North Miami Beach. The suspect is also linked to the armed robbery of a Marina Discount Beverage store on the 2700 block of Southwest 15th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, police said.

One surveillance video shows him holding a gun to the head of a woman customer while the clerk empties the cash register. Another shows him jumping the counter at another store and repeatedly smashing the cash register on the floor to open it. He also is seen forcing a clerk to the floor at gunpoint while emptying the cash drawer in a third surveillance video.

Investigators are urging anyone who has information or recognizes the robber to contact North Miami Beach Detective Michael Stein at 305-949-5500 or Fort Lauderdale Detective Orlando Almanzar at 954-828-5546.