published: Thursday, October 11, 2012

Customer's photo helps find robbery suspect

Clermont

MILLARD K. IVES | Staff Writer

millardives@dailycommercial.com

Despite an injured hand, a customer at a Taco Bell in Clermont helped police track down the suspect who robbed her Thursday by snapping a photo of his license plate.

According to Clermont police, the woman was at the 1810 E. U.S. Highway 50 restaurant just after 2:30 p.m. Thursday and heading towards her car. The man allegedly pushed up against her in the parking lot and snatched money from her unzipped purse.

The man ran toward his car with the woman in pursuit. She injured her hand when he sped off as she tried to open the driver's side door.

But the victim was able to take a picture of his license plate with her cell phone camera and she and another witness identified the suspect as 20-year-old Richard Scates.

The woman said he got away with $225 as well as $95 in personal checks

Police were able to track down Scates at his place of employment at the Graffiti Junction restaurant in Clermont and arrested him.

Scates was arrested on charges of robbery by sudden snatching, grand theft and battery and taken to the Lake County Jail before being released on $10,000 bail.