HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested a teen who robbed two convenience stores and tried to flee from deputies.
On Friday, January 22, 2021, at approximately 7:30 a.m., Rhys McGall, 18, entered the Circle K, located at 4704 West Trapnell Road, and handed the cashier a threatening note.
After obtaining money from the cash register, McGall fled the scene in a white Kia minivan.
Similarly, on Saturday, January 23, 2021, at approximately 8:00 a.m., McGall entered the Circle K, located at 12850 Morris Bridge Road, in Thonotosassa, and handed the cashier a threatening note.
The victim gave McGall money from the register. McGall fled the scene in a white minivan.
Shortly after, deputies spotted a minivan that matched the suspect vehicle description, traveling east on Main Street in Thonotosassa. When deputies attempted to make a traffic stop, McGall sped away and intentionally drove through a chain link fence.
At that point, McGall got out of his vehicle and attempted to run away on foot, but was arrested following a short pursuit.
“This teen was seriously mistaken if he thought he could rob our local convenience stores and get away with it,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Through good detective work, our deputies were able to locate and arrest this thief before he could strike again. We hope he learns his lesson early in life that this behavior has serious consequences and will not be tolerated.”