A lone bandit held up a Rock Falls grocery store operator Thursday night for the second time in four days and escaped with an undetermined amount of cash.

Golder Pippert, operator of the Stop and Shop Grocery told police he was alone in the store Thursday night when the bandit jabbed him in the back with what Pippert thought was a gun and said "this is a stickup". He ordered Pippert to give him the money from his cash register and also took the merchants wallet.

Pippert said today he does not know how much money he gave the bandit but his wallet reportedly contained a "considerable" amounty. The merchant said the man covered his face, was tall and thin and wearing a gray jacket or sweater with a blue stripe. He was hatless. The circumstances of the robbery were were almost the same as in a holup in the store Monday. At that tiime Pippert said he lost about $560 to a bandit he described as 6 ft tall, 20-25 years old, slim, light complexion and light straight hair. He wore blue jeans and a blue sport coat.

Police followed the bandits tracks in fresh snow but they disappeared a short distance away where he apparently got into a car. Official said there is little doubt the same man robbed the store both time.