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Tip Leads Clearwater Police To Suspect In Video Store Robbery

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TBO.com

Published: July 25, 2008

Updated: 07/25/2008 10:00 am

Shermon Allen

CLEARWATER - Authorities have arrested a Tampa man they said robbed a Blockbuster video store at knifepoint this week.

Shermon Allen, 30, of 4708 Mill Pond Lane, was booked into the Pinellas County Jail today on charges of robbery with a deadly weapon and kidnapping, among others, jail records show.

Detectives say they identified Allen as the culprit after receiving a tip as to who might have robbed the store, said Elizabeth Daly-Watts, Clearwater's public safety spokeswoman. Then Allen was linked to the robbery through forensic evidence, she said.

On Thursday, investigators tracked Allen to a Lifestyles Fitness Center, where he works, Daly-Watts said. Allen bolted but with the help of a police dog was found hiding under a trailer in a nearby mobile home park, she said.

On Tuesday morning, Allen robbed the Blockbuster video store on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard, handcuffing the manager before breaking into a safe, police said.

Investigators think the thief approached the manager as he was unlocking the door to the store at 2045 Gulf Blvd. at 9:30 a.m., said Daly-Watts.

He took the manager inside at knifepoint, locked the door and handcuffed the manager, Daly-Watts said. The culprit took the manager to a back room, had him sit there, and then tried to open the safe, periodically checking on the manager, Daly-Watts said.

At some point, the culprit took the handcuffs off the manager and put him in a bathroom, Daly-Watts said. After the manager didn't hear anything for about 20 minutes, he left the bathroom and found the man had left. He then called authorities, Daly-Watts said.

Authorities did not say how much money was taken.

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