Update: 7:05 p.m. A previous version of this story stated the suspects’ bond was set at $52,000. At 5:32 p.m. and 5:33 p.m., their bond status was updated to no bond.
LEESBURG, Florida—Two Tampa men found hiding under a blanket behind a washer and dryer in the carport of a Leesburg home have been arrested for robbing a gas station Monday morning of numerous cartons of cigarettes and vapes, according to their arrest affidavits.
Tyreece Freeman Jr., 22 and Jahiem Vonzell Comer, 21, both of Tampa, were found by Leesburg Police Department after a complaint of a suspicious person led them to the pair hiding in the carport.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to an armed robbery around 4 a.m. Monday after a 9-1-1 caller reported Circle K, 10030 County Road 44 in unincorporated Leesburg had just been robbed. As deputies responded, a white Chevrolet Malibu fled past them headed westbound on County Road 44 into Leesburg city limits. Deputies attempted to catch up to the Malibu but were unsuccessful and around 4:30 a.m. Leesburg Police Department found the car abandoned, the affidavit states.
Soon after, LPD received a complaint of a suspicious person about a block away from where the Malibu was found, and Freeman and Comer were taken into custody. The duo offered the homeowner $20 not to call police, a detective noted in the affidavit. Two pairs of shoes were found near them, and one pair was orange, yellow, black and white and matched the description of shoes worn by one of the robbers and an employee of the gas station later positively identified the shoes. Two of the suspects in the robbery are still on the run.
The victim told LCSO four tall, black males wearing masks entered the store at the corner of County Road 44 and County Road 473 and one indicated he had a gun in his jacket pocket, confirmed when the victim saw a magazine base plate and the bottom of a pistol grip in his pocket. The victim complied and the suspects began to fill trash cans from the store with numerous cartons of cigarettes and vapes and then fled. Two empty trash cans were later found at the scene of the robbery and the loot from the robbery was found in the abandoned Malibu, along with masks, according to the affidavit.
Freeman and Comer were both arrested for armed robbery by LCSO and trespassing by LPD. They are each being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.
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2 Suspects Located Following Incident at Unincorporated Leesburg Gas Station – Inside Lake
LCSO Investigating Armed Robbery at Gas Station in Unincorporated Leesburg – Inside Lake
