St. Petersburg, FL A tense early morning robbery at a downtown St. Petersburg CVS ended with the arrests of two suspects, police confirmed Tuesday, following what authorities described as a “brazen and violent crime” in the heart of the city.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight on January 5, at the CVS located at 301 Third Street South, a busy stretch of downtown businesses. According to police, 26-year-old Antone Jones and 27-year-old Joseph Lee-Brown entered the store wearing face coverings and immediately began threatening employees.
One suspect allegedly shoved a sales clerk, while the other sprayed employees with pepper spray, creating chaos and panic inside the store. Witnesses say the victims were forced to dodge the spray and take cover behind counters. The suspects then fled with more than $1,000 in merchandise, disappearing into the early morning darkness.
“It was terrifying,” said a CVS employee who asked to remain anonymous. “We never imagined something like this could happen here… you just think about safety and it’s gone in an instant.”
Authorities say this robbery may be connected to a string of similar thefts and assaults in the area dating back to early December. St. Petersburg Police Chief called the suspects’ actions “reckless and dangerous,” noting that store employees and customers were lucky no one suffered serious injuries.
Joseph Lee-Brown was arrested on January 6 in Hillsborough County on armed robbery charges. The second suspect, Antone Jones, was taken into custody a week later on January 13. Both remain behind bars, and police continue to investigate whether the pair were involved in other recent robberies in the region.
Local business owners have expressed growing concern about safety in downtown St. Petersburg. “We do everything we can to protect our staff and customers,” said Local Business Owner, who owns a nearby store. “But incidents like this show that we need to stay vigilant and maybe rethink security measures.”
Police urge anyone with additional information about the suspects or similar incidents to contact St. Petersburg Crime Stoppers. Authorities emphasize that community cooperation is critical to preventing repeat offenses and ensuring the safety of local businesses.
As of now, both suspects face armed robbery charges, and a court date has yet to be set. Meanwhile, CVS employees are recovering from the shock and trauma of the incident, while the community braces for any potential further criminal activity in the area.