JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man is behind bars, accused in a string of armed robberies of businesses and auto theft across Jacksonville. Nobody was hurt, but seven police reports show 42-year-old Robert Herrington was responsible for six robberies between November 6 and November 11.
Herrington started his spree on November 6 at Smoke Bucks Smoke Shop on New Berlin Road. The report says he stole $416 in cash from the register, $1,500 in merchandise, the business's Apple MacBook laptop computer, iPhone 14, and a 2016 Grey Kia Sorrento. The report says the car was eventually found abandoned with several of the stolen items inside.
"He probably used some weapon or made a threat of a weapon like a gun. He doesn't have to produce it but that's an armed robbery," First Coast News Crime and Safety Expert Mark Baughman said.
The next day, less than a mile away from the smoke shop, the report says Herrington showed up at Domino's Pizza on Starratt Road. The report says employees described the suspect as a white man wearing all black, a face mask, a tan hat, and obvious marks on his forehead. The suspect fled. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office notes it used facial recognition technology to identify the suspect and it 'provided a potential identification of Robert Herrington, with an accuracy of 98.7%.
"He was picking targets of opportunity. He stayed in a pretty centralized geographical area. He picked random targets, he had no motive, plan or operation as to how he was going to do things," Baughman said.
In the next three day, Herrington is accused of robbing a Regions Bank on Busch Drive and 121 Financial Credit Union on Revell Drive.
After the robbery at Regions Bank, the report notes the detective was able to identify Herrington based on the investigation of the robbery at Dominos and observed a burn mark at the center of his forehead.
Herrington was also accused of stealing a car from a business on Normandy Boulevard. The report says he drove that vehicle, described as a dark blue sedan with silver wheels and rust on the hood, to a Bealls store on Normandy Blvd where he committed another robbery. He fled in that same vehicle.
The reports show his clothing slightly changed between robberies.
"He may have changed his appearance a little bit, and his hat is, but he was still really distinguishable," Baughman said.
Along with facial recognition, the reports note the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office also used witnesses and photos to identify Herrington as the suspect.
"They used the photo spread and if done properly, and it's fairly done, that also aids law enforcement greatly, the witness positively identifies them, that just helps make the case even stronger," Baughman added.
Herrington's robbery spree ended Saturday after a pursuit with police. The reports say the same stolen car used in the Bealls robbery was observed travelling southbound on Cynthia Street from Highway Avenue. Detectives immediately recognized the driver as Herrington and a pursuit was initiated. The report says Herrington was hit by a JTA city bus and crashed into a parked car in the parking lot of Shores Liquor Store on Highway Avenue.
Herrington is locked up in the Duval County Jail. He is facing numerous charges of armed robbery, theft of a motor vehicle, and violating probation.
