News

Police: Man arrested after robbing QT store in front of officer

SNELLVILLE, Ga.,None — A Gwinnett county man is in jail after police say he robbed a QT gas station right in front of a Snellville police officer.

The police officer was standing just feet behind the man as he demanded money from the cashier, as shown on the store’s surveillance video.

Police said Stephen Daniel asked the officer for a ride to Lawrenceville and the officer said he couldn’t do it and that Daniel had to use the pay phone outside to call someone else to give him a ride.

The video shows after speaking with someone on the phone for a few minutes, Daniel hung up and then police said he walked into the convenience store off Scenic Highway demanding cash.

The conversation can be heard in the video:

Daniel: “Yo. Give me all the money in the (expletive) register. Right now! Give me all the money in the (expletive) register.

Cashier: “Why?”

Daniel: “Because I said so.”

http://bcove.me/f05bry8r

The video shows as the manager of the QT gathers the cash, customers are still paying for things.

What the video doesn't show is Lt. B.W. Brown standing behind Daniels, watching him.

“I know what was going on, but he’s not dumb enough to do this with me standing right behind him,” Brown said to Channel 2’s Craig Lucie.

The video shows that the store manager is smiling throughout the whole robbery.

“The manager was laughing at the time he was putting the money in the bag because he was looking at me over the guy who was robbing him,” said Brown.

As soon as Daniels turned around, he saw the officer.

“I’m standing right behind him. I got a hold of him by the shoulder and placed him under arrest for robbery. It was a comedy type thing,” Brown told Lucie.

Brown said everyone in the store started laughing.

“In 34 years, I have never had one happen the way this one did,” Brown added.

Daniel did get his ride to Lawrenceville … to the Gwinnett County Detention Center. That’s where he remains on a robbery by fear charge.