Police make 2nd arrest in Sunday robberies

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, December 19, 2006

A Brookhaven man was arrested Monday afternoon in connectionwith a series of armed robberies Sunday, said Brookhaven PoliceChief Pap Henderson.

Brandy Earl Smith, 22, of 3150 James Dr., has been charged withfive counts of armed robbery, one count of robbery, one count ofattempted robbery and one count of aggravated assault, Hendersonsaid.

Smith’s accomplice, Jasmine McCoy, 19, of 75 Springfield Trail,Bogue Chitto, was arrested Sunday and charged with four counts ofarmed robbery, the chief said.

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Both Smith and McCoy were scheduled for arraignment today,Henderson said.

Smith was arrested at 4:25 p.m. in an empty apartment at a localhousing project, Henderson said.

“We were able to get information from the residents that he wasthere,” he said. “No one was trying to hide him.”

Smith, who brandished a handgun and a knife during separaterobberies Sunday, was unarmed at the time of his arrest, the chiefsaid. However, police believe they have located the handgun used inthe initial robbery.

“I have some information on where that gun is supposed to beat,” the chief said, adding he would be investigating that claimthis morning.

Smith and McCoy are accused of robbing four men at gunpoint at aresidence on South Cleveland Street early Sunday morning. Althoughthe pair arrived in McCoy’s mother’s car, they fled on a pair ofbicycles stolen from the residence.

“They went off and left the keys in the apartment,” Hendersonsaid. “They couldn’t leave in the car.”

Police were able to identify McCoy from the vehicle and she wasbrought in by her mother later that day, the chief said.

Smith, however, eluded officers.

Following McCoy’s arrest, Smith allegedly began targetingconvenience stores later that day.

He is accused of an attempted robbery at Happy Food Mart, wherea clerk was assaulted, and robberies at Serio’s Grocery andStartown Food Mart Sunday night. A knife was displayed during theStartown robbery, Henderson said.

“We knew who we were looking for from the beginning. We just hadto find him,” Henderson said.

Citizens helped identify Smith as the robber and track hiswhereabouts throughout the day, the chief said.

“I want to commend the officers. They got out and really hustledfor this guy,” Henderson said. “We had tremendous help from thecitizens of Brookhaven on this case.”