PELL CITY — Police are searching for a man who robbed a local barber shop Thursday.Police received a call around 12:47 p.m. reporting an armed robbery had occurred at Snyder’s Family Barber Shop.
Joseph Snyder, the barber shop’s owner, said a Hispanic male entered the store and asked for a haircut before pulling a large caliber semiautomatic pistol and demanding money.
"When I put the cape on him and started combing his hair out, he stuck the gun on me," Snyder said. "He put the gun right in my gut, right by my navel. He asked for my money, so I gave him my money."
Detective Roy Davis said Snyder identified a picture of Ernesto Castro Alejo, 23, of Pell City as the man who robbed him. Davis said a warrant has been issued for Alejo, for first-degree robbery, a Class A felony.
Snyder said he recognized Alejo, because Alejo was a regular customer.
"I had cut his hair at least three times," Snyder said. "I knew him enough to know how he likes his hair cut. That’s what really threw me off guard."
Snyder said he gave Alejo about $150. Alejo then tied Snyder up with a cord, and took his car.
"He asked if I had a rope or a cord," Snyder said. "I took my cell phone charger and he cut it and tied me up in the bathroom. Then he took my car and fled the scene."
After struggling for about 10 minutes, Snyder said he was able to free his hands.
"I ran down the street because I knew the man," Snyder said. "I knew where he lived."
Snyder said he knew Alejo was living in West Side Apartments on Cogswell Avenue, about one block from Snyder’s shop. Snyder saw his car parked in front of West Side Apartments and called 911.
Police arrived on the scene in less than a minute, Snyder said.
After talking to Snyder, officers went to West Side Apartments and searched the premises for Alejo.
Alejo left Snyder’s car at the apartments and is suspected to have driven away in a red pickup truck, Police Chief Greg Turley said.
"Our information is (Alejo) may try to go to Florida," Turley said.
He said the information police received may not be accurate, and other leads are being sought.
"Second hand information can be worth its weight in gold, or it can really take you off the trail," Turley said. "We are following other leads as well and putting the BOLO (Be On the Look Out) everywhere."
Turley said the robbery was one of the strangest incidents he had heard of.
"This was very, very unusual," he said. "I’ve never heard of anything happening this way anywhere, much less Pell City."
Besides being a barber, Snyder also works as an armed security guard. Snyder said his training may have saved his life.
"I’ve been put through trial situations and scenarios," he said. "It didn’t freak me totally out when he pulled the gun, but I knew I had to get control of the situation and not do anything stupid. I have two small children and a lovely wife I don’t want to leave behind, just because of some money."
Snyder said his main priority was to cooperate with Alejo and get him to leave.
"I’m glad none of my customers were there," Snyder said. "I wanted to get him out as quickly as I could before somebody else walked in. Whenever you have a person with a gun, anything that changes the scenario could cause them to start shooting everybody.
"I think the Good Lord was looking out for me today," Snyder said.
Turley said anyone who may have seen anything or have any information regarding the robbery should call Pell City Police Department at (205) 884-3334 or the department’s tip line at (205) 338-8899.
