Armed robber hits customer, steals van

Deputies: Man robbed auto parts store off U.S. 1, stole keys from customer

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – An armed robbery at an Advance Discount Auto Parts store off U.S. 1 South has sparked a manhunt in St. Johns County, deputies said Tuesday.

According to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, a man was dropped off by a white SUV at the store about 9 a.m. before he went inside and demanded money from a clerk.

Deputies said the man then stole car keys from a customer at gunpoint and left in a white Chrysler Town and Country van. The elderly woman's family said the man hit her over the head, and she was hospitalized for several hours.

"She's in shock right now," said the victim's granddaughter, Jessica Allen.

It happened so quickly, Allen said her grandmother didn't even know the store was being robbed.

"As soon as she walked in, she saw him. And she didn't really have a lot of time to react to it. And he hit her over the head because she saw him and he didn't want her to say anything," Allen said.

Several minutes later, deputies found the white van abandoned less than a block away in an Enterprise Rent-a-Car lot on U.S. 1 South. Evidence technicians were dusting it for fingerprints.

Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan said he believes the man may have switched cars. 

"What we see, historically, and through our experiences is that they have a vehicle waiting for him, that they parked or have someone in there waiting for them to run to it," Mulligan said.

The robber was described as a black man in his late 20s to early 30s, between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 170 to 178 pounds. He was wearing a black shirt, black pants, a black do rag on his head, glasses, gold teeth and possibly a wig. He was armed with a handgun.

Mulligan believes, however, the robber may have changed up his look.

"Many times, they will have changed clothes, changed vehicles. So the description of this individual and what people may have seen early this morning at the auto parts store, this individual may look completely different minutes later," Mulligan said."

Investigators worked to obtain security footage from nearby businesses. Neither the Advance Discount Auto Parts store or the Enterprise Rent-a-Car had cameras.

"I would say anyone who's brazen enough to point a gun in someone's face, in a non-confrontational environment, that individual planned on doing something like that. Anyone who's carrying a firearm and pointing at individuals should be considered armed and dangerous," Mulligan said.

Deputies said this robbery has striking similarities to the robbery of an Advance Discount Auto Parts on Blanding Boulevard in Clay County on Sunday.

Anyone who sees the man should not approach him, deputies said. Call 911 immediately, or call Detective S. English with the Sheriff's Office at 904-209-3986 or email senglish@sjso.org. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS.