Police chief: no evidence of alleged robbery

BY PCC STAFF

FORT MADISON - An early morning social media post that has the attention of the city has turned out to be without merit.

A social media post from a juvenile in town indicating there was at least one armed robbery on the city’s east side has been taken down after a conversation with local police.

According to Fort Madison Police Chief Mark Rohloff, the post has been investigated and taken down by the individual who posted it. The investigation has turned up no evidence to substantiate the claims.

“These unconfirmed reports had no basis and police cannot substantiate the claims made in the post,” Rohloff said.

“Our bigger concern is that these types of rumors instill undue public fear.”

The post claimed that a subject had been robbed at gun point by two teenagers while walking home from a convenience store. It also read when the alleged victim notified authorities, Fort Madison police said it was the third report that day.

Rohloff said there are no reports of armed burglaries that day, only one case of someone swiping a skateboard.