Authorities Have ‘Person of Interest’ in Stephens Co. Armed Robbery

A person of interest is in custody and being questioned in connection to an alleged armed robbery overnight in southern Stephens County.

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said that a man armed with a handgun held up one customer in the parking lot of the Dollar General store on Highway 106 in the New Hope community Monday night and attempted to get in the victim’s car.

Shirley said that a search was conducted in the area of the former Joe Martin’s store in the New Hope community, near the Stephens County-Franklin County line after a GSP trooper spotted the gunman run across Highway 106 and jump a fence below the Dollar General.

K-9’s from the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office in a wide perimeter search.

The sheriff said just after 1 a.m. that authorities had apprehended the person of interest, who the sheriff says is out of Florida and on parole for armed robbery.

According to the sheriff, that person, who was not identified, was on the way to the Stephens County Jail to be interviewed by investigators.

Shirley said the missing property and weapon have not been recovered yet.