Armed bandits take cash from businessman

Published 8:18 am Monday, November 28, 2022

Two men brandishing handguns reportedly robbed a local businessman of a large amount of cash after he closed his store and was on his way home.

Authorities have made no arrests in the case.

No one was injured during the crime.

Deputies and a K-9 officer and dog with the Georgia Department of Corrections searched the area but were unsuccessful in picking up any tracks of the suspects, local authorities said.

The armed robbery happened along the 100 block of Marshall Road after 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18, according to an incident report filed by Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Nicolas O’Steen.

The victim told the deputy that he was on his way home after leaving Rod’s Stop & Shop on Allen Memorial Drive. He was carrying the store’s deposit money. After leaving the store, the victim said he picked up two relatives at the Quick Stop on North Columbia Road and they headed home.

The deputy said the victim told him that he drove along Marshall Road because it was a shortcut to their home on Log Cabin Road.

The victim said he thought someone was following him earlier. He described the car as a dark-colored Hyundai. The man told the deputy the car resembled the one he believed was following him the night before. After observing the car, the victim said he decided to make a loop around Hudson Drive and back onto Marshall Road. The man said he never saw the car again.

A short time later, while driving along the 100 block of Marshall Road, the victim told O’Steen that two men wearing black hoodies and black pants flagged him down in the roadway.

The victim said he thought the men needed help so he stopped and rolled down his window.

One of the men quickly walked around to the passenger’s side of the car, while the other man approached the driver of the car. Both men were armed with what was described as black handguns.

The victim said the men ordered him to give them everything he had, according to the incident report.

O’Steen said the victim told him that he handed the men a black grocery bag that contained a large sum of money in assorted bills.

The robbers were last seen running up Marshall Road toward Log Cabin Road.

The victim told the deputy he stayed in the same spot and called 911 for help.

O’Steen said he attempted to collect some video surveillance footage from a residence nearby, but the camera did not capture anything related to the crime.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip Line at 478-445-5102.