Portland police responded to two armed robberies Monday night, both in the same area of Sherman Street near State Street and both involving the same suspect.

Around 10:20 p.m., a family of four, including a father and three children between 10 and 14 years old were threatened by a man who brandished a handgun and demanded money as they parked their car. The family fled on foot without turning over any valuables.

A few minutes later, the same suspect approached another vehicle stopped in the same area of Sherman Street and again pointed a handgun at a 23-year-old woman in the car, demanding her purse. He ran east on Sherman Street.

The suspect is a black male, approximately 6 feet tall, with a thin build, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a mask or bandana covering his face. He is believed to be in his early to mid-twenties.

Anyone with information about these robberies is asked to contact the Portland Police Department.

To provide information anonymously, mobile phone users can text the keyword “GOTCHA” and a message to 274637 (CRIMES), submit tips on the police department website at www.portland-police.com and clicking “Submit an Anonymous Crime Tip,” or leaving a message on the crime tip line at 874-8584.