LUBBOCK, Texas — The suspect in a robbery at the Family Dollar near 82nd Street and Avenue P was accused of pretending to be a city employee before he held a gun to an employee, a police report obtained by EverythingLubbock.com on Monday revealed.
The Lubbock Police Department on Monday said Tommie Thomas, 55, was arrested on October 12 and the robbery charge was later added on Tuesday.
EverythingLubbock.com previously reported officers responded to the robbery at 4:30 p.m. on October 11.
A report from the Lubbock Police Department stated Thomas told employees he was with “Lubbock Health and Safety” and asked to speak with a manager. According to the report, Thomas showed the employees laminated papers. The report said the manager and Thomas walked to the other side of the store. At that point, the report stated the suspect pulled a gun out of his waistband, pressed the gun against the victim’s ribs and told the manager, “This is how it’s gonna be.”
According to the police report, an employee at the register was with a customer who had children. The report stated Thomas told the manager they would not want “any of these children’s blood on [the] building” and to just get money out of the safe.
The manager explained they did not have access to the safe, the report said, but they could open the cash register. The report stated Thomas said to “wait until all the children leave” before getting the money. While waiting, the suspect said the robbery was “nothing personal,” the report stated.
After the children left, Thomas got the money and ran from the scene. As of Tuesday, Thomas remained at the Lubbock County Detention Center
