A Portal man is behind bars after robbing a local hotel with the threat of having a gun, police said.
Jonathon Dustin Finch, 22, Factory Road, Portal, is a former employee of the Hampton Inn on Fair Road, said Statesboro Police Capt. L. C. Williams.
Finch entered the hotel Monday around 7:10 p.m., telling two employees he "had a gun," and "demanded money from the register," Williams said. He took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the scene before the employees could call police.
Officer High Gordon and Det. James Winskey responded to the call and spoke with both employees, who identified Finch as an "ex-employee" and gave additional details of the incident, he said.
Winskey posted a lookout for Finch and area law enforcement agencies, including the Bulloch County Sheriff's Department, began searching for him, he said.
Tuesday, Bulloch County Sheriff's deputies located Finch "in a vehicle near the Bulloch/Candler county line," Williams said. He was arrested without incident on charges of armed robbery.
It was unclear whether Finch actually had a gun, Winskey said. "There was no gun recovered, and no one was injured."
Finch worked at the hotel for about six months, two years ago, said Hampton Inn owner Virginia Anne Franklin. He had worked with the two employees he robbed, she said.
"I was shocked that he would do this, and I hate it for his family," she said, adding that Finch had impeccable references , "was a wonderful person and came from a fine family."
The robbery was not the result of a disgruntled employee situation, she said.
Finch was taken to the Bulloch County Jail, where he is being held without bond, according to jail records.
Jonathon Dustin Finch, 22, Factory Road, Portal, is a former employee of the Hampton Inn on Fair Road, said Statesboro Police Capt. L. C. Williams.
Finch entered the hotel Monday around 7:10 p.m., telling two employees he "had a gun," and "demanded money from the register," Williams said. He took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the scene before the employees could call police.
Officer High Gordon and Det. James Winskey responded to the call and spoke with both employees, who identified Finch as an "ex-employee" and gave additional details of the incident, he said.
Winskey posted a lookout for Finch and area law enforcement agencies, including the Bulloch County Sheriff's Department, began searching for him, he said.
Tuesday, Bulloch County Sheriff's deputies located Finch "in a vehicle near the Bulloch/Candler county line," Williams said. He was arrested without incident on charges of armed robbery.
It was unclear whether Finch actually had a gun, Winskey said. "There was no gun recovered, and no one was injured."
Finch worked at the hotel for about six months, two years ago, said Hampton Inn owner Virginia Anne Franklin. He had worked with the two employees he robbed, she said.
"I was shocked that he would do this, and I hate it for his family," she said, adding that Finch had impeccable references , "was a wonderful person and came from a fine family."
The robbery was not the result of a disgruntled employee situation, she said.
Finch was taken to the Bulloch County Jail, where he is being held without bond, according to jail records.