Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Arrest Made In Labor Day Robbery At Loretto Quik Mart
Loretto authorities report that an arrest made in connection with a robbery that occurred at the Loretto Quik Mart Monday night has resulted in the resolution of several recent robberies in the area.
Loretto Police Chief Bobby Joe Killen said that Tuesday evening twenty-three year old Detarus Montrell Brown of 525 Perry Street, Lawrenceburg was arrested on a single robbery charge.
Killen said the robbery occurred at around 8:45 p.m. He said that a subject, later identified as Brown, entered the store dressed entirely in black, wearing a "Scream" mask. Killen said that he entered, jumped the counter, and began to scuffle with the female clerk.
Brown reportedly shoved the clerk back and grabbed the tray out of the cash drawer. He jumped back over the counter, dropping the tray. He then grabbed as much money as he could and fled. Killen said that as Brown fled he scattered money all over the floor.
Once Brown exited the store, Killen said he headed north on Main Street. Contact was lost with him at that time. Officers with the Loretto Police Department quickly responded to the scene and secured the store. They searched the area for Brown but were unable to locate him at that time.
Later, the department learned that the robbery was significantly similar to other robberies that had occurred in Lawrence County and surrounding areas in which Brown was a person of interest.
Killen said that they began to consult with investigators with the Lawrenceburg Police and Lawrence County Sheriff's Departments along with detectives with the Pulaski and Columbia Police Departments, comparing evidence and information.
Detectives were able to identify Brown as a suspect in the Loretto case. A photo of Brown was shown to the store clerk and she was able to make a positive identification from the tattoos on his arms.
Once Brown was brought in for questioning Tuesday, Killen said he confessed to the Loretto robbery as well as several other recent robberies.
In Lawrenceburg, Brown was linked to robberies at Kay's Country Store that occurred April 26, Busy Bee Market on June 16, and Taz Mart on July 3.
He was also linked to robberies at HP Fuel Max in Pulaski on both August 22 and August 27 and an armed robbery at Hardison Market in Columbia that occurred on August 20.
Killen said that Brown gave information that implicated him in recent robberies that had occurred in Giles County, as well.
During the course of the investigation detectives determined that Brown had an accomplice. Killen said that charges will be sought against Kari Taylor, 25, of Lawrenceburg, when evidence in the case is presented to the Lawrence County Grand Jury. Additional charges will also be sought against Brown at that time.
Brown was incarcerated at the Lawrence County Detention Center without bond.
Killen expressed his appreciation to the other agencies involved in the investigation, saying, "Without the assistance of the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department and the Lawrenceburg, Pulaski, and Columbia Police Departments it would have taken a lot longer to resolve this case."
