UPDATE 3/12/19 — Sarasota Police detectives have arrested a suspect who was caught on camera New Year's Eve morning robbing a Sarasota laundromat and locking an employee in the bathroom before getting away.
Marlette Allen, 34, of 18th Street in Sarasota was arrested and faces charges of strong arm robbery (felony) in connection to the robbery. Two anonymous tips identified Allen as the suspect seen in the video. Allen denied being at the laundromat at the time of the robbery, but Sarasota detectives were able to compare video evidence to Allen's physical attributes to develop probable cause to make an arrest, according to a press release.
Allen was arrested on March 8, 2019 at approximately 4:30 p.m. She's currently being held on $50,000 bond at the Sarasota County Jail.
SARASOTA, Fla. — Sarasota Police detectives are asking for the public's help to identify a suspect who was caught on camera New Year's Eve morning robbing a Sarasota laundromat and locking an employee in the bathroom before getting away.
Police say the suspect entered Colonial Laundry and Dry Cleaning located at 290 North Lime Avenue in Sarasota at approximately 8 a.m. on December 31, 2018. The suspect walked into the business and started speaking with the victim. A short time later, the suspect showed the victim a note that told her to give her all the money she had. ABC Action News spoke to the 18-year-old victim who told us she is hard of hearing and she couldn't understand what the suspect was requesting. The suspect wrote it out on a note and forced her in the bathroom.
The suspect is believed to be a female between 5'10" and 6'0" tall, last seen wearing a red and white track suit, sunglasses and a wig. The suspect put on a clear Halloween mask while inside the business. The incident was caught on surveillance video.
Watch the video below:
The suspect took an unknown amount of cash before running away, northbound, on Aspinwall Street.
