POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Winter Haven man is behind bars after allegedly robbing a smoke shop and threatening the clerk. Dewayne Brandon, 35, was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) on Tuesday, February 11th, and charged with robbery and extortion by threats.
The incident occurred around 6:20 p.m. at a smoke shop on Recker Highway in Winter Haven. According to the PCSO, Brandon entered the store and asked the clerk if they knew him from Lake Wales.
When the clerk replied that they did not, Brandon reportedly began making threats and proceeded to rob the store of cash, CBD gummies, pre-rolls, and hemp flower.
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Brandon fled the scene on foot, but PCSO deputies and crime analysts quickly identified him as a suspect. Detectives went to Brandon’s residence, where he attempted to flee out the back door. However, he surrendered when a K9 deputy warned that a K9 unit would be deployed.
Brandon was booked into the Polk County Jail.
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