From Ponchatoula to Mississippi, and almost everywhere in between, two masked gunmen have stormed Sonic eateries in a robbery spree that the police are hoping the public can help end.

In all, four locations were robbed and a fifth attempt failed, during the two-month spree, and investigators are looking into two other north Louisiana Sonic holdups earlier this year that may be connected.

In each, the robber’s methods of operation were eerily similar: Two black males, clutching pistols and either hooded or donned in ski masks, enter the drive-in eateries at or near closing time and demand money. “These guys have knowledge of how Sonic works,” Capt. Jack West of the Covington Police Department said. “They catch workers at closing time when they are taking deposits to banks.”

“They seem to all be connected,” Capt. Kevin Foltz, spokesman for Slidell Police said in agreement. “They’re just all so similar.”

The latest attempt in Covington on Louisiana Highways 21 Saturday night was the suspected duos only known failure.

The gunmen, donned in black ski masks, allegedly emerged from a tree line behind the eatery and rapped their pistol barrels on the window as employees closed for the night, West said.

They then tried to move inside, tugging at a door that was locked, he said.

It seems the rapping on the window gave “employees plenty of warning,” to flip the lock, West said. “They all said, ‘Thank God we locked the back door.’”

Employees then called 911. Covington Police arrived 60 seconds later, just as the pair darted back into the woods.

Officers gave chase, but to no avail. “They must have had a car waiting,” West said.

It’s the last known robbery attempt on Sonics that began in Hammond this November then moved to Ponchatoula Nov. 16, Slidell on Nov. 18, Picayune, Miss. several days later and Saturday’s failure in Covington, Foltz said.

In Slidell, the men wore red bandannas over their face while barging inside, flashing guns and demanding money.

In Tangipahoa, the duo held a gun to the store manager as he opened a safe while ordering carhops to remove their aprons stuffed with tips.

Police also suspect the two other Sonic robberies in the Monroe/Shreveport area earlier this year are connected, Ponchatoula Police Chief Bry Layrisson said.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $2,500 reward for anybody who provides information leading to the suspects’ arrest and conviction, he said.

A multi-jurisdictional task force including detectives from Picayune and Tangipahoa and St. Tammany parishes is also being formed to collaborate evidence, he said.

On Tuesday, detectives from all the agencies involved traded phone calls throughout the morning, exchanging details of each other’s investigation.

“Think about it. No other place like Circle K or (other convenient stores) were robbed,” Layrisson said. “That’s another inclination that they all seem to be related. In my opinion they’re going to be tied to Sonic in some way, either a former employee or someone who is close to an employee.”

Anyone with information can call Slidell Police at 646-4350, Covington Police at 892-8500, Hammond Police at 542-3500 or Ponchatoula Police at 386-6548.