Some wear ski masks. Others pull hoods over their heads.

But a man who may be responsible for two hits at payday loan centers in the past week appears to be taking a different approach to concealing his identity: fake dreadlocks.

The dreadlock wigs found at hippie festivals and novelty shops have shown up in witness accounts of robberies at two locations of The Cash Store, one last Friday at 1509 N. Pines Road in Spokane Valley, the other last night at 5920 N. Division Street.

In the first case, Spokane Valley police found a female clerk locked in the store crying who said a black man in his late 20s or early 30s had fled with cash after telling her he had a gun about 6 p.m.

Last night's robbery occurred just after 6:30 p.m. on the other side of the county, but in both cases, the robber was said to be wearing a long black wig and mirrored sunglasses.

In the first case, the victim said the suspect was confident and relaxed, as if he had committed previous robberies.

Police have not determined if the robberies are indeed connected, or if either is connected to June 2 robbery at the Cricket phone store at 4009 N. Market Street.

View a video of that robbery here.

Anyone with information on the robberies should call Crime Stoppers at 509-326-5111, or forwarding the information via the website www.crimestoppersinlandnorthwest.org.

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