The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office is investigating the early morning armed robbery of a St. Helena convenience store.

At approximately 6:15 am this morning, a black male subject brandishing a handgun entered the Express Lane #5 convenience store located at 1702 Sea Island Parkway. The masked suspect, dressed all in dark clothing, approached the clerk and demanded cash.

After taking an undisclosed amount of money, the suspect fled the store on foot in an unknown direction of travel. The clerk was unharmed and no customers were in the store at the time of the robbery.

The Sheriff's Office K-9 Tracking Team responded and conducted a search of the area, but had no contact with the possible suspect.

The Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with any information to please contact Beaufort County Dispatch at 843-524-2777 or Investigator Cpl. Brian Chapman at 843-470-3469.