By By Adam Prestridge
The man suspected to be responsible for two robberies in Atmore is now behind bars.
The Bay Minette Police Department arrested 27-year-old Shato Bryon Gray of 329 Bragg Street in Atmore and charged him with first-degree robbery after he robbed L.J. Stop and Shop located at 301 E. 2nd Street in Bay Minette on Sunday.
According to the Bay Minette Police Department, victim Lynette Jacobson stated that a black male in his 30's wearing yellow shorts and a white "muscle" shirt entered the store and pulled a knife and demanded money. The suspect took money from the cash register and safe, and then removed money from the victim's purse. Another witness observed the black male fleeing the scene to the rear of the store and leaving in a red and white vehicle.
A few minutes later, officers Preston Jones and John Stallworth spotted the suspected vehicle on Newport Parkway. As the officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled and a short chase ensued that terminated a few blocks away when the vehicle struck a tree on Blackburn Avenue. The suspect then fled on foot and was captured a short distance away by Lt. Tom Quinley.
A similar robbery occurred at the Dollar General Store located on 1420 South Main Street in Atmore on Aug. 11 when a black male entered the store armed with a knife and demanded money. The suspect took an undetermined amount of money and fled the store on foot.
Prior to the incident at Dollar General, another robbery occurred at Video World located at 207 South Trammell Street when a black male entered wearing a bandanna covering his face from his nose down demanding money from the cash register. The victim cooperated and handed an undisclosed amount of money over to the suspect.
According to the Atmore Police Department, after consulting with investigators from the Bay Minette Police Department similarities in the crimes were noticed and captured the attention of investigators handling the robbery cases in Atmore.
At the time of the robberies APD chief Jason Dean was unsure if the robberies at Dollar General and Video World were related, but upon further investigation, Gray was positively identified and connected in all three robbery cases.
Gray is currently being held in the Baldwin County Corrections Center on two counts of first-degree robbery. He is being held on a $25,000 bond in each case.
Gray is currently on probation from the Alabama Department of Corrections for a robbery, which involved previous cases in Escambia County, Alabama.
In a prior interview, Dean said taking the proper precautions could prevent robberies from occurring and stresses to business owners, manager and employees, as well as customers, to take his advice.