Largo Police arrested a man as he was trying to leave a convenience store mid-robbery on Tuesday.
Police responded to a silent hold up alarm at the Speedway on Roosevelt Boulevard around 1:22 a.m. When they arrived on the scene, they saw a robber with a knife inside the store.
There were two employees inside at the time with the suspect.
The store was immediately surrounded by on-duty patrol units and TAC personnel. The subject was unaware of the officers outside the business. Police say that the suspect was seen loading a cart full of merchandise.
John Havel, the brother of one of the employee's in the store at the time of the robbery told ABC Action News that the armed robber forced one of the employees to load items into the cart at knifepoint. The other employee was hiding in the freezer at the time of the robbery.
“And I get a call, I’m wondering why my brother is calling be at 1:30 in the morning. In a monotone voice he tells me ‘There’s a robbery, we’re being robbed.’”
John was at home in Clearwater doing homework when his brother Alex called and said the store was being robbed and that the police were already called. Alex was apparently hiding in the cooler and was posting about the robbery on Facebook.
John got in his car and raced to the store. He was intercepted by police and kept back from the scene.
After approximately one hour, the suspect exited the front door of the business with the stolen merchandise, according to Largo Police.
Once the suspect was a safe distance from the store he was confronted by patrol units and TAC personnel, the suspect began to run to the front door and a Largo Police K9 and Largo officers were able to catch him prior to reentering the business.
Police arrested Geoffrey Chad Davis, 31, for Armed Robbery.
There were no injuries to the employees and suspect had minor injuries. Police say that this case is still ongoing at this time.
