Two men arrested early Tuesday morning were released, with charges dropped, because of lack of evidence they were involved in a recent armed robbery near the Georgia Southern University campus, said Statesboro Police Det. Sgt. James Winskey.
Although a victim “positively” identified the men, captured in the area after a man was robbed near The Point at Southern apartments on Statesboro Place Circle, there was no basis to charge the men after an investigation was held, he said.
Two reported armed robberies — one around 9:38 a.m. Monday at College Park University Pines apartments and the second one around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday at The Pointe at Southern — are very similar in nature to a rash of armed robberies in the area, according to police reports.
In many of the reported robberies, either one or two black males approach the victims, ask for either a cigarette or change for a large bill, then rob the victim at gunpoint.
Monday’s armed robbery victim told police two black males, one holding a gun, asked him for a cigarette. They left the area, then returned, with one man waving a gun and demanding cash. They took $74 from the man’s wallet, reports said.
Tuesday morning, the victim said one man approached him and asked for change for a $20 bill. As he pulled out his wallet, a second man appeared, pulled a gun and asked for the wallet, reports said.
The suspects removed $60 from the victim’s wallet and returned the wallet before fleeing.
A short time later, police took two men into custody they believed could have been the suspects involved in the robberies. The victim “positively identified” the me as the ones who robbed him, but upon further investigation, police determined the men they had in custody were not responsible for those robberies, Winskey said.
Police are investigating at least four other armed robbery incidents in the same area, with the suspects using the same approach method, he said. No one has been reported injured in any of the reported armed robberies.
Anyone with information regarding the robberies is asked to contact the Statesboro Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at (912) 764-1542. All calls will remain confidential, he said.
Although a victim “positively” identified the men, captured in the area after a man was robbed near The Point at Southern apartments on Statesboro Place Circle, there was no basis to charge the men after an investigation was held, he said.
Two reported armed robberies — one around 9:38 a.m. Monday at College Park University Pines apartments and the second one around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday at The Pointe at Southern — are very similar in nature to a rash of armed robberies in the area, according to police reports.
In many of the reported robberies, either one or two black males approach the victims, ask for either a cigarette or change for a large bill, then rob the victim at gunpoint.
Monday’s armed robbery victim told police two black males, one holding a gun, asked him for a cigarette. They left the area, then returned, with one man waving a gun and demanding cash. They took $74 from the man’s wallet, reports said.
Tuesday morning, the victim said one man approached him and asked for change for a $20 bill. As he pulled out his wallet, a second man appeared, pulled a gun and asked for the wallet, reports said.
The suspects removed $60 from the victim’s wallet and returned the wallet before fleeing.
A short time later, police took two men into custody they believed could have been the suspects involved in the robberies. The victim “positively identified” the me as the ones who robbed him, but upon further investigation, police determined the men they had in custody were not responsible for those robberies, Winskey said.
Police are investigating at least four other armed robbery incidents in the same area, with the suspects using the same approach method, he said. No one has been reported injured in any of the reported armed robberies.
Anyone with information regarding the robberies is asked to contact the Statesboro Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at (912) 764-1542. All calls will remain confidential, he said.