Suspect caught after multiple robberies

Rob Dee Store was found last Tuesday while committing his third robbery in three months

Written by: Kaitlyn Maley

Police apprehended robbery suspect Rob Dee Store from Alligator Jim’s Animal Emporium Tuesday, Oct. 8 at noon. 

Suspect walked into Alligator Jim’s wearing a ski mask, with his hand in pocket. Store went to the first cashier and asked for all of the money from the register. Before the cashier Kat Tayles could react, Store fainted. 

“I was just getting ready to take our python back to his enclosure after his feeding time, when the man walked in wearing a ski mask with his hand in his pocket as if he was hiding something. Before I could react to him telling me to give him the money, he dropped to the floor.” Tayles said. 

The cause of his fainting was discovered later after apprehension; Store has a horrible phobia of snakes that causes panic attacks that can lead to fainting.

The modus operandi of Store matched the two other robberies that happened in the months before: a ski mask, an empty store, needing money, hand in pocket as if there was a gun and they all took place around the lunch hour. 

After matching his prints to prints left at the Boesen The Florist and Thrift Plan Loan Company robberies, he was indicted on two counts of theft and attempted theft. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with 60 days parole.