SAVANNAH,GA ( May 16, 2012) An 18-year-old Savannah man who purchased a soda from a Downtown store a week after robbing its owner and then lied to police has been charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor.
Robbery detectives from Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are trying to determine if Resmel Jamel Ballard of Kayton Homes has been involved in any other crimes in the area after his arrest Tuesday. He has been charged with robbery, violation of parole and providing a false name to police.
Ballard was arrested by Downtown Precinct patrol officers after Dipeshkumar Patel, owner of Choose’s Market on the 600 block of MLK Boulevard, called to report he was the man who had robbed him on March 7. Ballard had returned to the store to purchase a soft drink.
Police located him walking in the area and he was identified as the man who pushed Patel down March 7 as he was taking his store receipts to a bank in the neighborhood. Patel said one man pushed him down from behind and grabbed his bank bag, then tossed it to another man who was riding by on a bicycle when Patel grabbed the robber’s legs and held him.
The robber was able to break free and his accomplice dropped his bicycle as the two men ran from the area. At the time, Patel told police he recognized the first robber as a customer who frequents his store.
Robbery detectives are continuing to try to identify the second man and whether Ballard may have been involved in other crimes in the area.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637). In the body type, include “CStop2020” plus the tip. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.
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