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Highlands Today

Man Charged With Robbing Delivery Man At Gunpoint

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: March 21, 2009

AVON PARK - An Avon Park man remained in jail Friday on a $105,000 bond following his arrest for allegedly robbing a delivery man at gunpoint.

Antwan Leon Jones, 19, of 1028 Marble Ave., Avon Park, was charged Thursday with robbery with a firearm, burglary of a dwelling or conveyance while armed and kidnapping.

At 5:30 a.m., Thursday, a delivery man was making his routine potato chip delivery to the Avon Park Race Trac convenience store. Jones, pointing a handgun at the victim, approached the truck, got inside and forced the man to the front of the vehicle, according to the arrest report.

Jones reportedly told the man to give him money. The victim got out his wallet and handed the suspect $5. Jones kept his weapon pointed at the man as he backed out of the truck while saying, "I kill you."

Once Jones had left, the victim called law enforcement with his cellphone. Members of the Highlands County Sheriff's Office arrived and quickly set up a perimeter. K-9 units were brought in and began a scent track that led to the suspect's backyard, which was just across the street from the convenience store, the report stated.

Jones was found inside after members of the Uniform Patrol Division got consent to search the house.

The victim was taken to the home to see several men, including Jones, who were out in the front yard. He allegedly identified Jones as the person who robbed him.

A printed copy of the Race Trac's surveillance video showed that Jones had gone into the store and left within minutes of the robbery. He was reportedly wearing different clothes inside the Race Trac than he was when authorities interviewed him about the crime less than 30 minutes later.

The delivery man was shown the video and again identified Jones as the person who robbed him. He added the suspect was wearing the same clothes inside the store as he was during the robbery.

Shoe impressions left in the truck were reportedly identical to the tread pattern of the shoes Jones said he was wearing when he went inside the store.

During his interview with law enforcement, Jones denied robbing the delivery man.

Alfredrick Tyrone Tyson, with the sheriff's office's Criminal Investigations Unit, made the arrest.

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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