Surveillance cameras captured an alleged armed robbery at a Sunrise gas station last month. The suspect allegedly threatened the gas station clerk with a tire iron.
In the video, the suspect can be seen wearing a mask. In Florida, you can face a harsher penalty for wearing a mask during the commission of a crime.
The clerk reportedly complied with the suspect's orders and opened the cash register. The suspect allegedly reached inside and grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash.
No arrests have been made. When a suspect wears a mask, police must rely upon physical evidence since an alleged victim cannot typically give an identification that could be deemed as reliable. If the suspect has been arrested before and has fingerprints on file with FDLE or the FBI, or DNA on file with FDLE due to a prior felony, then a match may be made.
Armed robbery without a firearm carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. However with the mask enhancement, the suspect will face life.
Eric Matheny is a robbery attorney serving Miami-Dade and Broward.