Three arrested, two of them juveniles, for armed robbery of a convenience store

Three arrests have been made in connection with an armed robbery that occured on Wednesday, Feb. 18. 

On Feb. 20, Sarasota police arrested Christopher Woo-Piner, 18; and two juveniles, aged 16 and 15. All are facing felony charges of armed robbery of a convenience store with a firearm.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., on Feb. 18, officers responded to the 3500 block of Fruitville Road for a reported armed robbery at a gas station. The employee reported three people entered the store, robbed him at gunpoint and fled the scene.

His report is confirmed by surveillance video, which shows three individuals entering the store, one seen walking around the front counter and pointing a handgun with an extended magazine toward the victim. The suspect is then seen pointing the gun at the victim as he removed cash from the register. Meanwhile the others are seen taking merchandise from store shelves. All three then ran from the store with an undisclosed significant amount of cash and merchandise.

 “Crime is not tolerated in our city,” said SPD Chief Rex Troche in a news release. “Our officers and detectives began investigating immediately upon dispatch. In less than 48 hours, three people were identified and arrested.”

The three were expected to be booked into Sarasota County Jail Friday afternoon.

This case remains an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the SPD Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6070 or remain anonymous and call Crime Stoppers of Sarasota County at 941-366-8477.