Two suspects, one from Brewton, have been arrested and charged with felony robbery without a weapon in connection with a robbery of the Exprezit in Jay last October.
Brandon Demarcus Brazile, 19, 218 Spears Circle, was arrested May 28 following an investigation of a robbery that took place October 11, 2019, at 3831 Highway 4 in Jay, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office report.
Deputies responding to a robbery Oct. 11 interviewed cashier Deborah Simmons, who told them she was counting quarters talking on her cell phone at the register when two people completely covered by clothing entered the store. One suspect jumped over the counter and demanded Simmons open the cash drawer while the other suspect came around the counter, the report said.
When Simmons opened the drawer, one suspect emptied the money into a bag the second suspect had brought into the store. The suspect who held the drawer also took her cellphone and threw it across the store. After they emptied the cash drawer into the bag, they took the quarters Simmons had been counting on the counter and ran out of the store heading east, the report said.
Deputies on scene were approached by Kelly Smith, who saw a blue SUV with a broken driver's window parked on McCurdy Avenue before the robbery occurred, directly south of the Exprezit.
Law enforcement obtained video footage of the two suspects from the Exprezit. The report noted that the first suspect to enter the store wore a dark green hoodie that covered his face and a lighter green jacket over the hoodie. He was wearing black gloves, shoes and pants. The second suspect was wearing a black hoodie that covered his face and gray of khaki colored pants, black gloves and black shoes, the report said.
As one of the suspects jumps over the counter in the video, his jacket comes up and reveals very light skin. Both suspects run east out of the store, as one suspect took a pack of L & M cigarettes, valued at $5.69, the report said.
Deputies also got video from a business across the street and down the road from the Exprezit. The suspects run to the back of the store, wait several seconds, then around the east side toward the entrance. About 30 seconds later, they are seen running from the store back toward the east. After they run out of sight, headlights come on and then move out of view, the report said.
Law enforcement received information that the Brewton Police Department was working on a robbery that was similar and spoke with Brewton Police Sergeant Andy Casey. It appeared both robberies occurred in a similar manner and were likely the same suspects, according to the report.
The Brewton Police had both suspects in custody and also recovered the vehicle, a blue Dodge Durango with a broken driver's window, used in the robbery. A black jacket similar to the one used in the Exprezit robbery was recovered from the Durango, the report said.
After further investigation involving interviews and videos of the robbery, Brazile was arrested for one county felony robbery on May 28 and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail. Brazile was given a $50,000 bond.
