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6 Jax Residents Charged With Crimes In Clay

POSTED: Thursday, October 16, 2008
UPDATED: 10:38 pm EDT October 16, 2008

Crime concerns continue to grow in Clay County as officials announced the arrests of six suspects accused of committing violent crimes. All of the suspects arrested are from neighboring Duval County.

The suspects arrested are in jail and facing charges in two separate armed robbery cases. Three of the six are charge with armed robbery with a deadly weapon after a home invasion in August; and the other three are charged with armed robbery at the Orange Park Mall.

Both crimes took place along Wells Road near the border of Duval and Clay counties, and they have many people worried about a trend involving Jacksonville criminals doing their dirty work in Clay County.

"Obviously, they made a huge mistake. In fact, now they properly understand that Clay does not play when it comes to solving violent crime," said Clay County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Dan Mahla.

In August, police said Benjamin Greene, Christopher Blanton and Robert Surrency III broke into an apartment just off Wells Road and tormented a family by robbing them and firing a gun.

All three suspects were arrested this week and have been charged with armed robbery with a deadly weapon.

The family members victimized in the home invasion said they were so scared about what happened they took prompt action to feel safe again.

"I moved out of there a week after that. We could not even sleep in the place anymore," said victim Roland Gibbs.

They've moved to Kentucky but have stayed in touch with Clay County police and said they were relieved to hear about the recent arrests.

"All three of the suspects in this case live in Duval County, and during our interviews with them they stated they came to Clay County to commit the crime because they did not think anyone would recognize them," Mahla said.

An armed robbery that took place earlier this month in the parking lot of the Orange Park Mall has also been solved. There, several people were held up at gunpoint.

Police have arrested three teenagers, Garrett Daniels, Darrius Partridge and a 16-year-old who is not being named because of his age.

Again, police said all of the teenage suspects have one thing in common -- they're all from Jacksonville and accused of committing crimes in neighboring Clay County.

Clay County detectives said they are recognizing the criminals from Duval County and getting word out about the disturbing trend.

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