Charges pending in store robbery
Trinity Standard , October 2007

GROVETON – A suspect in the Sept. 26 armed robbery of an Apple Springs video store was in custody this week while officials worked to sort out what charges will be brought.
Trinity County Sheriff Steven Jones said the suspect, a 29-year-old Lufkin man, is believed to have held up both the Videos and More store in Apple Springs as well as a Lufkin convenience store on the night of Sept. 26. A shotgun was used in both holdups.
“The suspect in the Apple Springs robbery is now in custody in Angelina County and we are discussing what charges will be filed with the Angelina County Sheriff’s Department, the Trinity County District Attorney’s office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Jones said.
The sheriff said the suspect probably will be charged with federal weapons law violations in connection with the Apple Springs and Lufkin robberies.
The name of the suspect was being withheld pending the filing of formal charges in the Apple Springs case.
According to Jones, the robbery occurred about 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26, when a masked man entered the Videos and More store armed with a shotgun.
The sheriff said the bandit, wearing a ski mask, took a “very small amount” of cash, tied up the clerk and fled the immediate area on foot.
“It all happened very fast,” Jones said.
The Lufkin store was robbed about 90 minutes later, also by a shotgun wielding bandit.