TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Police Arrest Suspect In Store Robbery

Gerald Pittman, 40

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOE SEELIG

Highlands Today

Published: September 15, 2008

Updated: 09/16/2008 07:00 pm

SEBRING - Police arrested a suspect in the armed robbery of the Cindy's Hallmark greeting card store Monday, in the Sebring Square shopping center.

Gerald Pittman, 40, also known as Gerald Karl Pittman and Gerald Carl Williams, of Sebring, was charged with robbery with a firearm.

A female clerk at the Cindy's Hallmark got an unwanted greeting shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, when police say the suspect entered the store, showed her a gun in his waistband and demanded cash. He emptied the till and took a green bank bag.

She told police the gunman told her not to look at him, or he would kill her, the report stated. He also ordered her to lock the door.

The store is located at 710 Sebring Square, next to the Winn-Dixie grocery store.

According to Sebring Police Sgt. Greg Barlaug, the man then tied up the clerk's hands and ran out of the back door of the store. The arrest report stated he used a plastic bag to tie her hands.

The front entrance to the store was locked although the sign in the window was clearly lit with the word "Open" in red neon.

Several witnesses reportedly saw the suspect leaving the back of the store.

Police arrived on scene and began to cordon off the area.

Sheriff's K-9 deputy Chris Gunter and his bloodhound Wyatt arrived to track the suspect. The track led about 150 feet and then ended, according to sheriff's Lt. Keith Starling.

The clerk appeared quite shaken up as police questioned her as she sat in a plastic chair outside the store in 90-degree-plus heat. She had no injuries. She told police the man was wearing a black stocking on top of his head, but not covering his face.

Meanwhile, police stopped a man riding a blue bicycle east in the 2500 block of Lakeview Drive, who matched the witnesses' description of the man they saw leave the back of the store. He was detained for questioning and later arrested.

He told police he had just been to Winn-Dixie for a job interview and was headed home. He gave police permission to search him. They found a large wad of money in his right rear shorts pocket, the report stated.

Police also recovered a black stocking cap in his pocket, the report stated.

Police drove the victim and several witnesses in separate vehicles. At least two people were able to identify the suspect as being the man who they saw leaving the area.

"He just got out of prison in December," said Police Cmdr. Steve Carr.

A check of the Florida Department of Corrections Web site indicates that Pittman was released on Dec. 1, 2007 after serving about 12 years of a 20-year sentence in the Mayo Correctional Institution for robbery, false imprisonment and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Pittman also served three years of a four-year sentence in prison in 1988 for robbery with a gun or deadly weapon.

The firearm and a green First Union Bank bag were not recovered. Anyone who may see either of these items should call police at 863-471-5108 without touching the items.

Joe Seelig can be reached at (863) 386-5834 or jseelig@highlandstoday.com .

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT