First of two parts.In the past, armed robberies in Statesboro were unusual occurrences that raised eyebrows. In the past few years, however, the crime has become increasingly common, and the methods the robbers employ are increasingly brazen.The days of simple hold-ups seem to be gone. Today, criminals are working in pairs or in groups, often burst into homes with guns waving, and physically attack their victims — sometimes even stealing their clothes.“Trust me, we all know how lucky we are that we have not somebody killed at one of these convenience stores,” said Bulloch County Lynn Anderson, referring to a similar trend outside the city limits — a series of holdups in convenience stores.Since Sept. 1, there have been 19 armed robberies of victims in their homes or walking in residential areas.