Local investigators are searching for a man who robbed a 90-year-old woman at gunpoint after forcing his way inside her Earl Township home Wednesday night.

Police said the robber, believed to be in his 20s, also might be responsible for a pair of recent store holdups.

The man parked his car in the woman's driveway about 6:30 p.m. and told her he needed help because his car had broken down.

After she gave him some money, he forced his way inside. After gaining entrance, he ransacked the woman's home on Kurtz Road while holding her at gunpoint and demanding money, according to New Holland police Detective Jonathan Heisse.

The robber and his car — a dark-colored sedan or compact vehicle — match descriptions from armed robberies this week in East Earl and East Cocalico townships, Heisse said.

Terre Hill Mart on Main Street was robbed Tuesday night by a pair of men. One of the men wielded a black pistol while demanding cash. When the clerk refused, one of the men took the entire cash register and fled, the clerk said Wednesday night.

Also this week, a Subway restaurant in East Cocalico Township was robbed by an armed bandit. Details about that robbery were not available late Wednesday night.

No injuries were reported in any of the robberies.

"This would be classified as a home-invasion armed robbery, a very brazen act by the suspect," Heisse said.

New Holland, East Earl and East Cocalico police and other county law enforcement agencies are assisting in the search for the robber. A Lancaster County forensic team was called to help process the crime scene at Kurtz Road.

Heisse gave the following account of the home invasion:

The suspect parked his vehicle in the woman's driveway and then walked around the house. Eventually, he came to the front door and asked the occupant for oil, saying his car had broken down.

The woman said she didn't have any and the man asked for money, saying he had lost his wallet.

The woman gave the man "a small amount of cash," but that apparently didn't satisfy the robber, Heisse said.

The suspect displayed a large, black handgun and ordered the woman into her home.

Inside, the woman gave him more money, but he continued to ask for more. He disconnected a telephone in the home while making demands.

"He held the victim in the residence at gunpoint while he ransacked the home," Heisse said.

The man fled with the money and a cordless telephone. He was last seen driving south on Kurtz Road.

Heisse said there appears to be no relation between the victim and perpetrator. The home may have been targeted because it's in a rural area mostly populated by Mennonites, police said.

"We are treating it as random act," Heisse said.

Anyone with information about the home invasion should contact New Holland police at 354-4647.

The holdup at the East Earl Township store was reported about 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The store owner, who did not want to be identified and was working behind the counter the night of the robbery, gave the following account Wednesday night:

Two men dressed in black with black rags over their faces entered the store and demanded cash.

"Gimme money! Gimme money!" they demanded, the owner said.

One man had a gun and pointed it at the clerk. A third man waited outside as a lookout inside the getaway car, the owner said.

Four customers were in the store.

One of the robbers reached over the counter and took the cash register and a credit card machine attached to it. The owner said there were at least six cords from the machine plugged into the wall, but the man still was able to grab the heavy register and leave the store.

Police described the suspects as 20 to 25 years old and of medium build. One suspect was white and one was Hispanic, the store owner said.

Witnesses told police the getaway vehicle had a Pennsylvania license plate that includes the sequence "GLG."

The Terre Hill Mart also was robbed just last month. During that robbery, a clerk was pepper-sprayed.

"This is the second time in a month, and we are worried. Are we going to lose the business?" the owner said.

Losses are still being tallied, he said.

The owner said perhaps his store is located in an area that is too peaceful at night.

"Sometimes, maybe Lancaster is too quiet," the clerk said.

Anyone with information about the crimes should call Lancaster City-County Crime Stoppers at (800) 322-1913. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

E-mail: bhambright@lnpnews.com