Dollar General robbery may be connected to Bonita Lakes crime

By By William F. West / community editor
March 7, 2003
Meridian police said they have information that could link the Thursday robbery of a Dollar General store to last month's robbery of the United Artists theater at Bonita Lakes Mall.
Detective Dean Harper, spokesman for the Meridian Police Department, said the Dollar General clerk identified the suspect in Thursday's robbery based on a sketch of the suspect believed to have robbed the theater.
Harper said that at about 9:45 a.m. a lone black male armed with a handgun entered the Dollar General, 1808 North Frontage Road, and fled with an unspecified amount of money. No one was hurt.
Harper declined to disclose additional details about the crime, citing the MPD investigation. Anyone with knowledge of Thursday's robbery can call CrimeStoppers at 485-1860.
The Bonita Lakes theater was robbed Feb. 14. It was one of a string of armed robberies at movie theaters in Mississippi.
Police said the Bonita Lakes theater was robbed by a black male wearing a red shirt, khaki pants and a ball cap. Police said the suspect had asked the assistant manager for a job application.
Police said the suspect pulled a small caliber revolver on the assistant manager, who was going to the theater office to get the application. The suspect took money from the safe and left both the assistant manager and the manager there after barricading the door with furniture.