BOSTON — Boston Police have released surveillance photos of the man who robbed Madeleine's Candy Shop at knifepoint, ordering everyone inside to sit in the corner before emptying the register and disappearing into the South End.

The suspect is described as a white or light-skinned Hispanic male wearing a maroon sweatshirt, a gray wool cap, gray sweatpants, and a black mask.

The images are clear. The suspect's face is partially visible despite the mask, and his build, clothing, and posture are distinctive. Police are asking anyone who recognizes him to come forward.

The robbery at Madeleine's — a family-friendly shop that calls itself "the caviar of candy stores" — rattled a neighborhood that has been dealing with a rising tide of street-level crime and disorder, much of it radiating from the nearby Mass and Cass corridor.

A knifepoint robbery at a candy store at 7:30 on a Tuesday evening, on one of the most expensive blocks in Boston, is the kind of crime that tells residents everything they need to know about where things are headed.

Anyone with information is urged to contact District D-4 Detectives at (617) 343-5619. Anonymous tips can be submitted by texting "TIP" to CRIME (27463).