Florida robbery suspect tries to spring girlfriend from Thomas jail

Published 1:08 pm Thursday, March 12, 2020

Lee

THOMASVILLE — Money reportedly from a woman’s purse stolen in Tallahassee, Florida, showed up at the Thomas County Jail to pay a bond.

About 8 p.m. Wednesday, Tallahassee police responded to a parking lot in the 1800 block of Thomasville Road to investigate a robbery and attempted kidnapping.

The victim and witnesses reported the victim left a business and was walking to her car when the suspect emerged from a parked van and grabbed her. It appeared the suspect was attempting to pull the victim into the van, according to the Tallahassee Police Department.

The victim fought the suspect, who then stopped trying to abduct her. The suspect, Warrick Devon Lee, 45, 906 Magnolia St., Thomasville, fled in the van after taking the woman’s purse.

Witnesses provided to police the van’s description, tag number and direction of travel. The tag was registered to a Thomasville business. 

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The Tallahassee Police Department said the business owner was cooperative, and Tallahassee investigators identified Lee as the suspect.

While the investigation was underway in Tallahassee, Lee arrived at the Thomas County Jail and reportedly attempted to use money obtained in the robbery to bail his girlfriend out of jail. Lee was detained, and Tallahassee police came to Thomasville to interview him.

The suspect and his girlfriend were charged with robbery and aggravated assault in an October 2019 incident in Thomas County. Lee bonded out of jail.

His girlfriend remains in jail in lieu of a $2,600 bond.

Lee is charged with with robbery and attempted kidnapping in Tallahassee. He will be charged with fugitive from justice in Thomasville, said Lt. Tim Watkins, Thomas County Sheriff’s Office chief investigator.

The suspect remains in the Thomas County Jail awaiting extradition to Leon County.

Georgia State Patrol’s Thomasville Post 12 and Thomasville Police Department assisted in the case.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820