A 34-year-old man was arrested Wednesday for attempting to rob the Quality True Value Hardware Store, 1201 S. Park St.
According to witnesses, suspect Sven Helskov may also be linked to two robberies at Supreme Pizza, 912 E. Johnson St..
Both occurred on Sunday.
The Madison Police Department's Public Information Officer, Mike Hanson, said it was too early to say whether Helskov was involved in the Supreme Pizza robberies, but that police were investigating. Additionally, witnesses said there were similarities in all incidents.
Police allegedly apprehended Helskov during a robbery of Quality True Value Hardware Wednesday at 1 p.m., according to the police report.
Helskov talked with one employee, then quickly went to the cashier and demanded money, according to the report. The original employee who spoke with Helskov apparently notified other workers in the downstairs area that a robbery was taking place. They then called police.
True Value employee Sara Ryan confirmed that when Helskov exited the store and got on his bicycle, two store employees tackled him. With the help of three employees, they detained him until police arrived. Ryan said the suspect was a tall, Caucasian man.
In a previous incident, a tall, shorthaired man wearing a blue bike helmet robbed Supreme Pizza, at approximately 4 p.m. The man showed a note to the cashier and lifted his shirt to display a handgun stuck in his belt, according to store employee who requested to be identified as Tony M.
The man left, but a second robbery occurred at approximately 8 p.m., with a man matching the earlier suspect's description again displaying a handgun in his belt and again demanding money with a note.
Helskov's physical description matches that of the suspect in the Supreme Pizza robberies. Helskov's use of a bike and similar method of hold-up also parallel the earlier incidents.
The suspect had been seen in the Johnson Street area beforehand. Jamil Khan, who, with her husband, owns and operates the Madison Food Mart, 902 E. Johnson St., reported several altercations with Helskov, a store patron.
Khan said she caught the man four months ago when he attempted to steal a container of sour cream. She let him go, but warned if it happened again, her husband would call the police.
He continued to patronize the store for several months, apparently without incident, she said. She said she was also concerned about the recent robberies, and her husband considered installing new security cameras in response.
