A Carson City laborer and an unemployed Reno man were arrested on felony robbery and conspiracy charges after unsuccessfully trying to steal cases of beer and a bottle of booze from Save Mart on North Carson Street.
Officers began the search for the subjects at around 7:15 p.m. on Friday after a larceny report was called in from Save Mart. An interview with a security officer gave deputies a description of the men and the license of the car they were driving.
Officers learned the car, a Nissan, was possibly at a Camille Drive residence. Officers made contact with the vehicle owner, a woman, who had the keys in her possession. When asked where her vehicle had been in the last hour, she told officers she didn't know where it was, and that she only knew that it was taken by her boyfriend and his friends, who, she told officers, didn't say where they were going.
The officers then asked the woman where her boyfriend was and she replied that she didn't know. Shortly thereafter, the woman's 22-year-old boyfriend returned to the home. An officer spoke with the suspect who stated he had driven his friend to Save Mart to get groceries. The suspect stated that he stayed inside the vehicle when his friend went inside.
The suspect said that his friend ran toward the vehicle with the Save Mart security officer chasing him. The suspect stated he drove off before his friend got into the vehicle and returned to the Camille address without him. The security officer told deputies that he managed to pull the robbery suspect and the cases of beer out of the moving car.
Officers then detained the suspect and transported him to Carson City Jail. He was charged with felony robbery/conspiracy. His bail is $20,000.
When officers re-interviewed the woman and registered owner of the Nissan. She admitted to lying to officers about knowing nothing about the incident. She provided a written statement which advised she "lied and skipped around the truth for a while" when questioned about the incident by law enforcement and that the suspect told her to "lie for him" when asked about his whereabouts and what he was doing, according to the arrest report.
After booking the getaway car driver, the 25-year-old robbery suspect contacted sheriff's dispatch and said he wanted to turn himself in.
Officers arrived at the Camille home, and the robbery suspect told officers "I want to come clean and tell you everything. I loaded a cart up with two cases of beer and a bottle and walked out the door. I didn't even know (there) was a security guard."
The man further stated he was running to the vehicle with the beer and booze when he was grabbed by the security guard. The suspected stated he pushed the guard away from him to escape and demonstrated by making a large pushing motion with his hands, according to the arrest report.
The man was taken to jail, and booked on a felony robbery change. Bail was set at $40,000.
