Published: October 01, 2008 11:33 pm            

MPD investigating armed robbery

blivingston@themeridianstar.com



Detectives with the Meridian Police Department are investigating an alleged incident in which the victim said a man, impersonating a law enforcement officer and armed with a gun, robbed him of cash and a cell phone in the parking lot of a south Meridian business.

Lt. James Sharpe, interim commander of the MPD's Investigative Division, said a "person of interest" was taken into custody at about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday and is being held for questioning.

"No charges have been filed as yet and we are still trying to sort out what actually happened," Sharpe said. "We are in the process of going over the surveillance video of the parking lot area as well."

At about 9:50 a.m. Wednesday, patrol officers with the MPD responded to a call of an armed robbery at Sam's Club in southern Meridian off Hwy. 19 South. When they arrived they found a man who said he'd been robbed at gunpoint by a male subject driving a maroon, 1997 Chevrolet Malibu.

According to the witness, the subject pulled up behind him in the parking lot, produced a badge and identified himself as a law enforcement officer. The subject, according to the victim, didn't say which agency he was with.

Being told he was stopped for a traffic violation, the victim allowed the subject to search his car but when the victim became suspicious and began asking questions he said the subject produced a handgun and took an unspecified amount of cash and the cell phone.

        

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