ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies said they've arrested three robbery suspects and are still searching for a fourth accused of breaking into the Prime Outlet Mall near St. Augustine early Friday morning and holding a security guard hostage before making off with merchandise from the Gucci store.
The 35-year-old guard told deputies he was sitting in his security truck at the entrance to the mall about 2:30 a.m. when a small car pulled up, one occupant got out of the car with a handgun and ordered him to get down.
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While the guard was being watched by one gunman, three other men drove up to the Gucci store and used a crowbar to force their way inside. After taking the guard's keys and cell phone, they drove away.
St. Johns County deputies were notified about 2:30 a.m. and quickly located a car matching the description of the robbers' vehicle on Interstate 95 north of International Golf Parkway. The vehicle refused to pull over, instead speeding away at up to 100 mph, exiting on County Road 210.
When the driver lost control of the car at Sandy Creek Parkway, four people got out and ran into the woods.
St. Johns County deputies established a perimeter and searched the area from the ground and the air.
Deputies said that at 10:56 a.m., three of the suspects identified as Paul Campbell, 28, Tony Johnson, 18, and Dwayne Middleton, 30, came out of the woods and were arrested.
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"They weren't that far from where everything was, so I'm sure they were there all day," one investigator said.
All three are charged with kidnapping, criminal mischief, burglary of a structure, grand theft, vehicle theft, robbery with a firearm and obstructing justice.
Deputies said they have not located the fourth subject, who is described as a young black man.
Deputies said the car had been reported stolen from Orange Park. They said all of the merchandise from Gucci had been recovered in the vehicle.
Anyone with any information about the fourth man's whereabouts is asked to call the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office at 904-824-8304.