An Ellicott City gas station employee was robbed at gunpoint Friday night, according to Howard County police.

An employee of the Shell gas station at 5651 Waterloo Road was walking to his car after closing on Friday at about 11:40 p.m. when a man displaying a handgun approached him, according to police.

The robber ordered the employee to go back into the store where he demanded cash and cigarettes, according to police. The employee complied.

Police say the man then put the employee in one of the store's freezers and left. He tried to get into the employee's car, according to police, but he couldn't and left on foot.

The robber is described as a black man between 45 and 50-years-old. He was between 5-foot-8 and 6-feet tall and wearing a black mask, a heavy black jacket, dark pants and black boots.

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