for immediate release
February 25, 2003
N E W S R E L E A S E
The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office had a suspect in custody within three
minutes of the report of a convenience store robbery, a few minutes after midnight this
morning (Tuesday morning).
Deputy Tim Siren, one of several responding to a hold-up alarm at Circle-K #8349, 123 Racetrack Road, NW, spotted a man matching the description of the suspect on Navy Street, just south of the store. He took the man into custody without incident.
Joey Mitchell Houser, Jr., age 26 (10-11-1976), of Mary Esther admitted to the knife-point robbery of the convenience store, and also to a purse-snatching approximately four hours earlier in the parking lot Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar in front of Santa Rosa Mall. Houser was arrested on charges of Armed Robbery, and Robbery by Sudden Snatching, and Trespassing.
Two clerks were on duty at the Circle-K store. They reported the robber brandished a shiny knife and escaped with the contents of the cash drawer, which was approximately thirteen dollars.
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for more information contact Rick Hord, Public Information Officer
(85) 651-7420