A man allegedly hired a taxi to drive him around as he attempted to commit two armed robberies at Southington gas stations on Thursday afternoon, police said.

He allegedly made out with $20 from one of the gas stations after being locked out of another and used it to pay the taxi driver, according to the Southington Police Department.

Kyle Witkoski, 36, of Southington, was charged Thursday with second-degree robbery, first-degree robbery, sixth-degree larceny, second-degree breach of peace and use of drug paraphernalia, according to the Southington Police Department.

At about 12:34 p.m., police received a call about an attempted armed robbery at the Go Happy Mart at 2110 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike in Marion, police said.

A store employee told police that a man came into the store and walked through the aisles, crossing between the shared space between the liquor store and convenience store, before approaching the clerk with his hands in his pockets. The man, now identified as Witkoski, allegedly leaned against the counter, shouted “this is a robbery,” demanded money and said he had a gun, police said.

Witkoski demanded $200, but the store worker insisted the would-be robber wait outside while he got money from the back room. While Witkoski was outside, the employee told a vendor to lock the door, locking Witkoski out, police said.

Witkoski allegedly got into a waiting vehicle and left after waiting for a few minutes, police said.

Police received another call of another armed robbery a few minutes later at the Fleet Gas at 2211 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike. A store employee told police that a Witkoski allegedly came into the store and started talking to the clerk, eventually shouting, “Give me all your hundreds, don’t touch the phone and don’t call the police!”

Wirkoski allegedly threatened that he had a gun but refused to show it to the clerk when he asked to see it, police said. The employee offered Witkoski $20. He accepted it and left in a vehicle that was waiting outside, police said.

Both employees described the vehicle as a Honda CR-V, which police spotted driving on the Meriden Waterbury Turnpike. They were able to stop the vehicle after it turned onto Ruggles Row, police said.

Investigators learned that Witkoski had allegedly hired a taxi service, police said, and allegedly paid the cab driver using the $20 he stole from the second gas station.

The taxi driver was cooperative and immediately released, police said. Witkoski, who was also allegedly in possession of drug paraphernalia, was placed under arrest. He was being held in lieu of a $60,000 bond, police said.