Suspect in Michael Myers mask accused of robbing Inverness liquor store, 2 arrested
2 arrested after man in Michael Myers mask robs Inverness liquor store: CCSO
2 people were arrested, including a store clerk, after a man in Michael Myers mask robbed an Inverness liquor store, according to CCSO.
INVERNESS, Fla. - A liquor store clerk and her accomplice were arrested after Citrus County deputies say an armed robbery involving a suspect in a Michael Myers mask was actually a planned inside job.
Inverness liquor store robbery
The backstory:
Citrus County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Citrus Liquor Store in Inverness.
Store clerk Renee Bedford, 46, originally told deputies that a Black man in his 30s walked into the business wearing a Michael Myers mask from the movie "Halloween" and demanded cash.
Detectives reviewed the store's security video and quickly noticed several inconsistencies with Bedford's statement.
According to deputies, the footage showed Bedford laughing during the robbery, and the suspect was clearly a white man, contradicting her original report.
A tip submitted through Citrus County Crime Stoppers pointed detectives toward 47-year-old Richard Lassiter as a suspect.
During an interview, deputies said Lassiter revealed that Bedford pitched the robbery idea to him and gave him details about the cash deposit process and store cameras.
When detectives met with Bedford back at the liquor store, they said she appeared visibly nervous and denied helping plan the crime.
Suspects face multiple charges
What they're saying:
Investigators established probable cause to arrest Bedford, and deputies said they found plastic bags of narcotics in her pocket while taking her into custody.
"This case is a perfect example of why thorough investigative work matters," Criminal Investigations Division Capt. Mat Baird said. "The suspect's mask may have hidden his face, but our detectives quickly recognized the inconsistencies in this case and exposed an inside job disguised as a robbery."
Renee Lynn Bedford was charged with principal to armed robbery, principal to grand theft, possession of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of paraphernalia.
Richard Benson Lassiter was charged with robbery with a firearm and grand theft.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official press releases and statement details provided by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, including public statements from Criminal Investigations Division Capt. Mat Baird.