DNA found on dropped mask leads to arrest in Sweetbay robbery

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - A mask dropped by a suspect as he fled a robbery at a Hillsborough County Sweetbay wound up being the key to his arrest, according to a sheriff's statement.

He is identified as Taurian Jarell Crosby, 21, of Tampa.

Detectives say he entered the Sweetbay at 5329 Ehrlich Road shortly before midnight on November 12.

He pointed a gun at a clerk, grabbed her shirt and pulled her to the ground.  He then dragged her into the store's office.  He then encountered the manager.

Deputies say Crosby grabbed her and pulled her to the office floor.

He took cash from the safe and fled on foot.  As he was running away, a witness saw him drop his mask on the sidewalk.

Detectives turned the mask over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  Technicians matched DNA on the mask with Crosby's, which had previously been entered into the government's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

Crosby, whose record dates back to 2008,  was arrested Tuesday and charged with Robbery and two counts of Battery.

He was held without bond at the Hillsborough County Jail.