Florida police employed drones and SWAT members to arrest four suspects just minutes after their latest in a spree of armed robberies at Dollar General stores.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters told reporters in a media briefing Tuesday that the three males and one female had used guns to steal about $11,000 from Dollar General stores in Jacksonville.
“They won’t be doing that anymore. Not in our city,” Waters said.
Police said the group used the same pattern in four armed robberies where they waited until just before stores closed to strike. In all four robberies, one person manned the getaway car, a white Dodge Charger, while three armed with guns went into the store.
Waters said they warned other Dollar General employees about the robberies and used undisclosed technology to identify potential suspects and the vehicle.
‘It is life-altering … They’re scared to death.’
After a fourth robbery on May 1, the four led police on a brief chase before they were arrested. One shot was fired during the incident. Police said they found ski masks in the car as well as three guns and $3,500 in stolen cash and merchandise.
The four suspects were identified as 25-year-old Jakeithiyah Daniel, 26-year-old Jackeri Lewis, 23-year-old Nathaniel Carter, and 24-year-old Tresonda Benefield.
Police also served a search warrant at the homes of two of the suspects and discovered clothing and a box of latex gloves that matched those used in previous robberies.
No one was injured in the arrest or the robberies, but two of the employees involved in the robbery never returned to work.
“It is life-altering. It impacts the way you see things after that for a very long time,” said Tom Hackney, a retired officer and legal analyst for WJXT-TV. “They’re scared to death.”
WJXT obtained surveillance video from the robberies as well as drone footage from the arrests.
Waters said the firing of the officer’s gun during the arrest is under administrative review, but said only that it was likely justified because one of the suspects aimed a gun at the officer.
“The suspects could have lost their lives, and it would have been right for the police officers to be able to use force in that case,” he explained.
A spokesperson for Dollar General’s corporate offices released a brief statement about the incidents:
“We are committed to providing a safe environment for employees and customers. We have invested in various security measures, as appropriate for each store. To protect the integrity of these measures, we do not publicly comment on their details.”
The four suspects were charged with first-degree felony armed robbery.
Here’s a news report about the incident:
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