JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four people were arrested in connection to a string of Dollar General robberies that led to a shooting incident in the Brentwood neighborhood on Wednesday night.
24-year-old Tresonda Benefield, 23-year-old Nathanial Carter, 26-year-old Jackeri Lewis, and 24-year-old Jakeithiyan Daniel are now facing robbery charges.
Police said the four suspects used the same mode of operation for each robbery at a Dollar General on Main Street, Fort Caroline Road, Yellow Bluff Road and a store on Main Street in the Brentwood neighborhood.
MORE: Officer fires shot at suspected robbers leaving Brentwood dollar store, Jacksonville police say
The four are accused of waiting until the stores were closing to strike.
News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst Tom Hackney, who is a retired JSO director, said there’s a reason why Dollar Generals were the robbers’ specific targets.
“They will look for somewhere easy to hit. Somewhere convenient. Somewhere close to get away. In many cases, these dollar stores fit the bill,” Hackney said.
Police said in all four robberies, three of the suspects would go into the store armed with guns while the fourth person would wait behind the wheel of the getaway car.
When officers captured the suspects after a brief chase led to an officer firing a shot at the vehicle when one of the suspects raised a gun at him, they searched the vehicle. Officers said they found three guns believed to be used in all the robberies, ski masks, more than $3,500 in cash and stolen merchandise in the vehicle.
Investigators also said a search warrant served at two of the suspects’ homes led to the discovery of clothing worn by the suspects in a previous armed robbery, a box of latex gloves that matched the gloves worn in previous robberies and Dollar General bags.
Two workers at the Fort Caroline store were so shaken up by what happened that they never returned to work.
“It is life-altering. It impacts the way you see things after that for a very long time,” Hackney said. “They’re scared to death.”
No one was injured in the shooting or during the robberies.
Dollar General’s corporate office issued this statement about the robberies:
We are committed to providing a safe environment for employees and customers. We have invested in various security measures, as appropriate for each store. To protect the integrity of these measures, we do not publicly comment on their details. Additionally, we appreciate our ongoing and collaborative partnership with Jacksonville law enforcement.
Dollar General Spokesperson