Cedar Falls police believe that a local man committed two recent robberies in the same area of the city.

On Friday (Feb. 2, 2018), authorities charged Carlos Gonzalez, 33, with second-degree robbery for a December hold-up that occurred at the Cedar Falls Dollar Tree, 911 Brandilynn Blvd. Earlier this week, police arrested Gonzalez on a charge connected to the Jan. 22 robbery at Kay Jewelers in Cedar Falls.

According to investigators, Gonzalez entered Dollar Tree and demanded money while displaying a knife and mace. Police said Gonzalez assaulted both employees, then left the store with an undisclosed amount of money.

The Dollar Tree robbery happened on Dec. 26, 2017. On the same date, a robbery also occurred at Sally Beauty Supply in Waterloo. Cedar Falls police said the suspect used the same method to rob the Dollar Tree.

Gonzalez was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with first-degree robbery for the hold-up at Kay Jewelers, 133 E. Viking Road. In that incident, police said the suspect was armed with a knife and used pepper spray on the employees.

Officers who investigated the robberies obtained evidence at all three locations and determined that Gonzalez committed the Dollar Tree robbery, Cedar Falls police said.

Gonzalez is being held at the Black Hawk County jail.

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