JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man police said robbed a Mandarin Publix by calling in a bomb threat pleaded guilty to charges and was sentenced to prison, according to court records.
Joshua Adam Shelar, 29, was given 30 months in prison followed by three years probation. After handing an employee a note saying he'd planted three bombs in the store and demanding $6,000, investigators said he got away with $2,152 and a gallon of milk during the April robbery.
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Shelar was taken into custody after a family member told police that he believed Shelar was responsible.
The tipster told investigators he shared a taxi with the suspect and was with him before and after the robbery unfolded. He said he gave Shelar a hat and shirt he believed were used in the robbery.
The same day, Shelar's relative called police and said he had information about the robbery. He said his son was acting paranoid and made comments suggesting he was suspected of carrying out the crime.
After looking into news coverage of the robbery, he saw reports that the robber had taken a gallon of milk. "That is just like Joshua. He loves milk," the relative told police.
According to Shelar's arrest warrant, the relative's suspicions were confirmed when he was shown surveillance images of the robbery. A Publix clerk then picked Shelar out of a photo lineup.