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Highlands Today

Rash of Armed Robberies Reported to Authorities

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: January 8, 2008

The following armed robberies were reported in Highlands County between Friday and Monday night:

SEBRING — Highlands County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into the armed robbery of a Pizza Hut delivery driver who reported he was robbed at gunpoint Sunday night on Lola Drive, in Sebring Country Estates.

The driver reportedly was on his second attempt to deliver pizza between 8:49 and 8:59 p.m., Sunday, to the Lola Drive address. Each time no one answered the door when he knocked.

As he was leaving the address the second time, two male suspects came around the left side of a garage of the residence and onto the driveway.

The suspect holding the gun stated, "Just give me the pizza, that's all I want."

The driver reported he dropped the pizza bag and ran from the area, leaving his vehicle behind with the motor running and the lights on.

He knocked on several doors looking for help, when someone on Lemans Drive answered and the sheriff's office was notified.

Sebring Country Estates is the same neighborhood in which resident Samuel M. Tiller, 82, was gunned down and murdered in his home on Falcon Avenue on Nov. 24.

AVON PARK — Police were investigating a report by six men who said three males tried to rob them Saturday afternoon at gunpoint on South Butler Avenue, in Avon Park.

Butler Avenue runs perpendicular to Main Street and is between South Railroad and South Forest avenues in downtown Avon Park.

Police were called at 1:41 p.m. Saturday, shortly after the attempted robbery.

Det. Sgt. Jason Lister said Monday that the intended victims, who were ages 17 to 50, told police they saw the gun and ran away from the three would-be attackers who demanded their cash.

Lister described the three suspects as possibly teenagers, two white males wearing white shirts and blue jeans, and a black male wearing all dark clothing. All were described as thinly built. None were wearing masks.

Lister would not say which of the three males held the gun, because it was still an active investigation.
The six men ran to the southeast, while the three suspects ran in a southwesterly direction. No one was injured during the exchange.

SEBRING — Police investigating a report of an attempted armed robbery in Highlands Homes, charged a 38-year-old Sebring man with resisting arrest without violence.

The victim walked to the L&M Grocery store Friday evening. When he walked back home, he told police he was approached in the 4700 block of First Street by a gunman who popped out from behind some trees.

The victim told investigators he was so scared that he ran away, instead giving up his money. The gunman reportedly chased him briefly, but gave up and walked back toward the trees from which he appeared.

Police say the gunman was described by the victim as a black male, 5-feet 10-inches to 6-feet tall, skinny, wearing a dark brown hooded shirt and black pants, the police report stated.

As police conducted an investigation, a 38-year-old suspect, was handcuffed and detained by police for questioning.

The man was wearing clothing that fit the description the victim gave police and was at a house nearby to where the attempted robbery took place, said Sebring Police Cmdr. Steve Carr, explaining why the man had been detained.

The man reportedly refused to comply with officers' directions, yelling "You better get these things off of me," indicating the handcuffs, the report stated.

The man eventually fell during his struggle causing police Cpl. Michael Cutolo to fall down with him, the report stated.

The victim said the gunman appeared out from the shadows of some trees at the edge of the street, the report stated.

The victim told police he did not know the gunman and that the suspect covered his face closely with the hooded shirt.

SEBRING — Sheriff's investigators closed a case of robbery by a man who waived prosecution after reporting he hired two prostitutes for $15 each, who filled their bargain and then robbed him of $100.

The 25-year-old 'John' told investigators that he was approached by the two females some time before 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 30, on Montego Drive.

After completing their transaction, one of the women, described as white with blond hair and a rose and heart tattoo on her leg, pulled a knife on him, while the taller female stole $100 from his wallet.

Tracing a license tag taken down by a witness, investigators found a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle the women left in, and a woman who matched the description of one of the suspects.

Although sheriff's K-9s tracked from the vehicle to the suspect's home, and she had a tattoo like the one described by the victim, she denied going out, said she had been home sick.

Because the 'John' said he did not wish to pursue charges, the case was closed.

SEBRING — A Sebring man told police he had never been so scared in all his life as when he had two handguns stuck in his face Monday night.

Police were looking for information Tuesday leading to the arrest of two male bicyclists who tried to rob a 48-year-old man Monday evening in an alleyway at Lime Street.

Police were dispatched at 7:05 p.m. Monday to an alleyway next to 530 Lime Street, and met up with the victim who told police a black man, 5-feet 11-inches tall to 6-feet tall, came out from around a privacy fence on a bicycle and pointed a black handgun in his face.

He told the victim to get down on the ground, but the victim backed up about two feet.

The gunman repeated his command and when the victim did not comply, a second bicyclist described as black, much shorter and much younger came riding out from behind the same fence.

He dropped the bicycle, the report stated, and pointed a second handgun in the victim's face.

The victim again did not comply, but took several more steps backward. It was then the victim's friend saw him and called out asking what was going on.

Hearing the friend, the gunmen reportedly got back onto the bicycles and rode off, heading north, cutting through darkened lots.

The friend told police he did not see the suspects but knew something was wrong when he saw his friend standing in the alley shaking with fear.

Police set up a perimeter and searched with a K-9 team, but no suspects were located. Anyone with information on this attempted robbery is asked to call the Sebring Police Department at 863-471-5108.

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