Mount Airy police are investigating an armed robbery Wednesday at Neighbors on North Main Street, where cash was taken from a customer outside the convenience store.

The Wednesday morning crime sparked an extensive search of the surrounding area for the two suspects involved. “That was unsuccessful, but we do have some leads and are following up on the case,” Detective Sgt. Paul Barker said Wednesday night.

Barker said the robbery occurred between 10 and 11 a.m. Wednesday after Richard Wayne Goins Jr., 44, who lives nearby, had walked to Neighbors to make a purchase.

After Goins exited the building, he encountered two people standing at the edge of the parking lot, described as a tall black male and an average-size Hispanic male.

“One of the suspects engaged him in conversation,” the detective said, adding that “the victim was unfamiliar with the two.” Barker said that one of the suspects indicated that he had a firearm but did not display it to Goins, while the other was actually in possession of a large stick.

“They took his wallet and an undisclosed amount of cash,” the detective said.

The suspects are then believed to have fled the scene on foot, resulting in a search of the northern end of Mount Airy and adjoining sections in which officers used a tracking dog.

Members of the Surry County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the effort to locate the pair.

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.