THE NEWS DESK
The News Desk is a collection of news, notes and breaking items affecting the Fredericksburg community.
Police dog leads to robbery suspect in Spotsylvania
By KEITH EPPS
A police dog tracked down a suspected robber early Thursday only a short time after the robbery occurred, police said.
Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Capt. Mike Harvey said the robbery took place just before 3 a.m. at the 7-Eleven at 2700 Lafayette Boulevard.
The suspect walked in, announced “this is a robbery” and took alcohol, cigarettes, an undisclosed amount of cash and the clerk’s jewelry.
He also grabbed the clerk as he was leaving, Harvey said, but the clerk was not injured. The clerk gave police a description of the man, who was wearing a bandana over his face with holes cut out for him to see through.
Deputy Nick Ridings and his bloodhound, Maggie, began following a scent. The dog tracked to a nearby residence in the 4200 block of Normandy Court, where a carton of cigarettes that had been taken in the robbery was found on the front porch.
Detectives talked to the homeowner, who told them that the suspect was upstairs. Police went upstairs and found the man hiding in a closet, Harvey said. Other items taken in the robbery were found in the room.
Estes Jennings IV, 41, of Spotsylvania was charged with robbery and assault. He was placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail under no bond.
Jennings was also wanted in Fredericksburg on a probation violation and in New York for a robbery dating back to 2000.
The Fredericksburg violation stems from a robbery in the city that
occurred on Dec. 16, 2000, court records show. He was a convicted and served prison time, and a capias for his arrest on the violation was issued on Nov. 25 of last year.
