CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) — A liquor store clerk and a man she had allegedly worked with to stage an inside job as a robbery have been arrested and charged.
According to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a liquor store on Sept. 20 after receiving a report of an armed robbery. When they arrived, 46-year-old clerk Renee Bedford said a Black man in his 30s, disguised in a mask portraying Michael Myers from the “Halloween” franchise, had entered the store and demanded cash. She said she complied and he then fled.
A search for the suspect was conducted, but investigators found inconsistencies in Bedford’s account after they viewed surveillance footage from the store, according to the sheriff’s office. During the incident, Bedford is allegedly seen laughing on camera and the suspect’s appearance did not match what she originally told deputies; the man was white and the man she had described was Black.
According to the sheriff’s office, they received a tip about 47-year-old Richard Lassiter and how he could be a possible suspect. When they interviewed him, he alleged Bedford gave him the idea of a planned robbery, according to the sheriff’s office. He alleged she gave him information about the cash deposit procedure at the store as well as other information, including details of the surveillance program used at the store.
Deputies interviewed Bedford, who allegedly appeared nervous and denied any involvement. During the interview, probable cause for her arrest was established, and bags of drugs were allegedly found in her pocket.
According to the sheriff’s office, Bedford was arrested and charged with principal to armed robbery, principal to grand theft, possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine, and possession of paraphernalia. Lassiter was charged with robbery with a firearm and grand theft.
Criminal Investigations Division Capt. Mat Baird said, “This case is a perfect example of why thorough investigative work matters. 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.”
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