Social media and an acquaintance led police to the man police say reached across the counter and tried to grab cash from the register at a Centerton convenience store Saturday night.
Charles Snapp, 34 of 1444 S. Blue Willow Ave. in Fayetteville was arrested Sunday in connection with obstructing government operations, possession of drug paraphernalia, refusal to submit to arrest and a felony count of robbery.
Centerton police were called to Center Point Convenience Store, 1675 W. Centerton Blvd., on Saturday night for an attempted robbery after a man tried to reach into the register, according to a probable cause affidavit for Snapp's arrest.
A store clerk told police he or she blocked the man's hand and shut the register drawer, and the man left saying he'd just been kidding about taking the money. The man and another man left in a pickup with a large tree stump in the back, according to the affidavit.
Surveillance video supported the clerk's account, according to the affidavit.
One of the officers involved in the investigation noted he had social media friends acquainted with the pickup's registered owner, according to the affidavit. A few texts later, police called the owner, who told them a relative owned the pickup. That man called police within an hour. After hearing he was a suspect in the robbery, he volunteered to bring Snapp to the Police Department so he could turn himself in, according to the affidavit.
The man and a sleeping Snapp arrived at the department at 12:42 a.m. Sunday, according to the affidavit. Snapp had several prior drug-related arrests, according to the affidavit and court documents. Police were warned there were two knives in the vehicle, according to the affidavit.
A Centerton officer awoke Snapp at gunpoint. When Snapp refused to remove his hands from his pockets or get out of the vehicle officers used a stun gun five times before they were able to handcuff him, according to the affidavit.
Snapp was hospitalized before being taken to the Benton County Jail, according to the affidavit.
The man who brought Snapp told police they went into the store for snacks, but Snapp referred to making "licks" or robbing the store before they went inside. The two drove to Fayetteville after the incident, according to the affidavit.
Highfill police were also involved in the search, according to a social media post by Centerton Mayor Bill Edwards on Sunday.
Snapp was being held Tuesday in the Benton County Jail on a $50,000 bond, according to jail logs.
NW News on 12/09/2015