SENECA — The bandit toting a .32 semi-automatic pistol during Monday’s robbery of J and Z Foodmart on Shiloh Road in Seneca was 15 years old, Oconee County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Terry Wilson said Tuesday.
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“We have one juvenile in custody,” Wilson said. “He’s a 15-year-old from Greenville. Apparently, the other individual we had in detention was not involved in the robbery.”
The semi-automatic pistol was recovered without an ammunition clip, although it cannot be determined whether or not the weapon was loaded at the time of the crime, Wilson said.
The unidentified juvenile is being held in detention while awaiting a hearing likely to be conducted within a matter of days.
The two individuals initially taken into custody, including the armed 15-year-old, borrowed a gold, four-door Toyota Camry and drove into Seneca from Greenville County, at which point the suspected robber’s friend slept inside a nearby apartment while the suspect drove to Shiloh Road to commit the crime. The robbery and search for the suspect in the southeastern portion of the city forced nearby Code Elementary School on to temporarily lock down. It was the first day of school for Oconee County students.
The search for two suspects at a local apartment complex on Stribling and Tribble streets did not yield results. They were ultimately picked up while walking down South Stribling.
Within two hours of the crime, the getaway car was found in the parking lot of a South Carolina Regional Housing Authority apartment complex on South Stribling.
Wilson said investigators have recovered roughly $200, most of the money stolen in the robbery.
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August 20, 2008
2:13 a.m.Report inappropriate content
WoooWeee! The "Chief" finally makes an arrest,and doggonit!, gets the wrong kid. Let that harden criminal out of jail so he can get back to kindergarten. It is no fault of your own, all those children look alike.
August 20, 2008
9:49 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I received the alert on my phone when the school went into lockdown. I am glad that there are systems in place and that schools are alerted when there is a potential situation nearby that could put school children in harms way. As far as the above post criticizing taking in both individuals, the article says that the two were friends, although only one was involved in the robbery. I think that it was "better safe than sorry" to take both of them in custody, until all the facts were sorted.
August 20, 2008
10:02 a.m.Report inappropriate content
5crazies....if it had been YOU taken into custody and YOU were innocent I think you would feel differently. All that means is they can take anybody that is a "friend" of someone that committed a crime even WITHOUT checking out the story first. Maybe one day you can be the one they pick up that's innocent and then get back and let us know if you feel "better safe than sorry" applies to your situtation at that time. Of course, just taking him in for questioning is great, but not processing him without some evidence of his involvement. And in the article "not sure if the gun was loaded at the time of the robbery" - doesn't make any difference as far as I am concerned. I am sure the store clerk "assumed" is was and feared for their life....which was the "intent" even when using an empty gun.
August 20, 2008
10:40 a.m.Report inappropriate content
cowboy...if you can believe what the news article says, the two were riding together in the same car and the circumstances would indicate "probably cause". If the circumstances are closely related I can see perfectly why the other juvenile was locked up.
August 20, 2008
10:54 a.m.Report inappropriate content
The article above says they were picked up "walking down Stribling Street". The car (from how I read it) was parked in the housing complex lot. They may have came from Greenville in the same car (which would have been found out after picking them up, I guess), so then again....if I ride with you and then you leave and commit a crime I knew nothing about, but come back later and we are hanging out or something, then I am guilty because I am friends with you? Well, personally, if I had known that my "friend" had just robbed a store I wouldn't go walking down the street with them...and apparently the innocent boy didn't know. But you know it really doesn't matter...that is the way here - round up everybody close by a criminal and then "apologize" I guess to those who were innocent. Sorry, but my civil and liberal rights mean more to me than being so scared as to make someone look guilty and be degrated and probably scared to death until proven innocent.
August 20, 2008
11:37 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I know just a tad bit about the law. There is no such thing as "guilty by association". Also, Cowboy is correct, there is no distinction between using a unloaded or loaded gun in a commission of a crime. A gun is a gun. 5crazies is wrong, you can not hold someone in custody until some evidence falls into your hands that gives you "probable cause to arrest". This Cop had a kid arrested and detained for a long period of time that was innocent and no probable cause existed. Schools are considered safe zones which is good. My children have now graduated from school but I think this was one of the best laws ever past. BUT, Cops can not act like the old German SS and put everyone in jail until they can figure out who committed the crime.
August 20, 2008
12:57 p.m.Report inappropriate content
GITMO
August 20, 2008
1:24 p.m.Report inappropriate content
I see that article as an example of the judicial system working. The guilty one is in jail, and the truth was found out about the other juvenile and he was set free. And quite frankly, if I was being questioned for something, I would not feel threatened about it if I was innocent. The quilty juvenile had a gun, and I am sure in a situation like that near a school, every scenario needs to be considered, even to the point of detaining for a time a guy that had been in the car with the robber shortly before he committed a crime. I certainly hope that I never get as cynical as some of you guys.
August 20, 2008
3:45 p.m.Report inappropriate content
I'm glad the officers did what they needed to do. I am even more grateful for the lockdown of Code. I have a nephew there who is in first grade and I would be terribly upset if something would have happened. As to all of the posts, most of the time your friends have the same ideas and beliefs you do so I can understand why both teens were arrested. If my friend thought about robbing places I would probably feel that way too or at least know about it.