Denton police say two aggravated robberies that occurred overnight at different convenience stores most likely are connected.

Although clothing descriptions differ and the two weapons used don’t appear to be the same, Capt. Lenn Carter said, the likelihood of two such similar robberies occurring within a seven-hour period is small.

“We believe it might have been the same man or two men working together, but we have not yet been able to confirm that,” Carter said.

The first robbery took place at about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday at a convenience store in the 500 block of North Bell Avenue. The clerk said she was in a back room preparing to mop the floor when a man suddenly came up behind her, grabbed her by the hair and forced her to the cash register. He displayed a silver semiautomatic pistol, she said. She handed him the cash, and he reached under the counter, grabbed a plastic bag and placed the money inside.

He ran out the front door.

A woman who was filling her gas tank said she saw the man but could offer nothing in the way of evidence and said she didn’t want to get involved, according to a police report.

At about 3:40 a.m. Thursday, a clerk at a convenience store was stocking a sandwich counter in the 1400 block of West Oak Street when a man entered and announced that he was robbing the store. He gestured with a dark pistol but did not point it at the clerk.

He handed over a plastic bag and demanded the money from the register, the report states. He became impatient with the time it was taking and told the clerk to hurry or he would shoot him.

Carter said police are investigating.

Other reports

2500 block of Scripture Street — An officer on patrol at 7:25 p.m. Wednesday noticed a yellow Jeep buried up to its axles in mud in an empty lot.

Two young men inside the vehicle said they were “just out having fun” and decided to go “mudding” on the Rayzor Ranch construction site.

The officer called a wrecker and identified the two University of North Texas students, in case there was damage to underground fiber-optic lines, according to a police report. The Jeep and the wrecker left deep ruts in the mud.

800 block of Cruise Street — A woman reported that in June she went online to try to obtain a college loan. She contacted a lending company that apparently operated out of Alberta, Canada.

She dealt with two women who, on several occasions over the months, told her she needed to wire money for different processing fees. After the total she sent topped $5,000, she decided she was being swindled.

She called the company, she said, and demanded her money back.

She was promised a refund, but it never arrived.

Roundup

From 7 a.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday:

• Denton police handled 307 service and officer-initiated calls, including one case of delivery of marijuana, one case of possession of marijuana, one case of possession of drug paraphernalia, two found items, one lost item, five thefts, two vehicle burglaries, two home burglaries, two assaults, one attempted suicide and two aggravated robberies.

• Denton County sheriff’s deputies took no reports. Twenty-five people were booked into county jail.

• Denton firefighters responded to 21 medical calls, two traffic accidents, one false call, two requests for public service, one request to assist an invalid, two smoke investigations, one medical rescue and one electrical malfunction.

Argyle firefighters responded to one request to assist a citizen, one downed power line, one vehicle fire, one gas leak, one road hazard, one traffic accident and one medical call.

Aubrey firefighters responded to one alarm, two medical calls, one structure fire, one request to unlock a vehicle, one road hazard and one request to assist a citizen.

Double Oak firefighters responded to one request to assist a citizen, one vehicle fire and one road hazard.

Krum firefighters responded to one request to assist a citizen and one road hazard.

Lake Cities firefighters responded to one alarm, one request to assist a citizen, one downed power line, two medical calls, one traffic accident and one road hazard.

Oak Point firefighters responded to one request to assist a citizen and one structure fire.

Ponder firefighters responded to one request to assist a citizen and one welfare concern.

Pilot Point firefighters responded to one alarm, one structure fire, one motorist assist and one request to assist a citizen.

Sanger firefighters responded to one fire, one traffic accident and one request to assist a citizen.

DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com .

Denton County Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in these or other crimes. Callers will remain anonymous. Call 1-800-388-TIPS (8477). Reach the Denton police narcotics tip line at 940-565-5801.