Executive Summary
- Citrus County deputies arrested four teenagers, including one adult, charged with armed robbery and grand theft.
- The suspects allegedly stole $1,500 in vape products from an Inverness Citgo gas station while armed with a firearm.
- Investigators utilized K9 tracking and social media tips to locate and apprehend the group within five hours.
- Roles in the robbery reportedly included two armed entrants, a lookout, and a getaway driver.
INVERNESS, Fla. — Citrus County deputies have arrested four teenagers, including 19-year-old Joshua Robertson, in connection with an armed robbery at a local gas station where approximately $1,500 in merchandise was allegedly stolen. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) confirmed that the suspects were apprehended within five hours of the incident, crediting the swift resolution to K9 tracking and tips from the public.
According to the CCSO report, the incident occurred on Sunday at a Citgo gas station located at 19 N. Florida Avenue in Inverness. Investigators stated that Robertson and three other teenagers—whose names have been withheld because they are minors—executed a coordinated theft. Deputies allege that two suspects entered the store armed with a firearm and confronted the clerk and a witness, while a third acted as a lookout and the fourth served as a getaway driver.
Law enforcement officials report that Robertson and one of the juveniles stole approximately $1,500 worth of vape products before fleeing the scene on foot, heading west on Tangelo Lane. The entire encounter lasted roughly two minutes and was captured on surveillance footage. Following the robbery, deputies deployed K9 units to the area. K9 Deputy Danner and K9 Cairo successfully tracked fresh tire impressions to establish a direction of travel, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities released surveillance images of the robbery on social media, which reportedly led to an immediate response from the community. “As surveillance images were shared on the CCSO Facebook page, multiple community members quickly contacted dispatch and flagged down deputies with the suspects’ identities,” the Sheriff’s Office stated in a press release. Sheriff David Vincent praised the collaboration, noting that the suspects were identified and apprehended in a matter of hours due to the partnership between law enforcement and residents.
Each of the four individuals now faces charges of grand theft and robbery with a firearm. The investigation remains active, and deputies have indicated that additional charges may be filed.
Investigative Outlook
The rapid apprehension of these suspects underscores the increasing efficacy of integrating digital community engagement with traditional forensic tracking. By leveraging real-time social media dissemination of surveillance evidence alongside K9 field operations, law enforcement was able to significantly shorten the window between the crime and the arrests. This case highlights a strategic shift in modern policing where public digital tips are treated as immediate, actionable intelligence in active manhunts.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
