[StBernard] Accused Smoothie King robber booked in St. Bernard Parish

[Westley Annis]

Accused Smoothie King robber booked in St. Bernard Parish
by The Times-Picayune 
Friday January 09, 2009, 12:21 PM

A tip to Crimestoppers has led to the arrest of an Arabi man accused of the
Dec. 4 armed robbery of a Smoothie King store in St. Bernard Parish. 


Authorities said William Church, 24, of 626 Angela St., was booked Thursday
with armed robbery. He is accused of robbing the Smoothie King store in
Chalmette. 

During that robbery, authorities say Church placed an object at the back of
an employee's head and knocked her to the ground as another employee
complied with his demand for cash. 

A store camera snapped a photo of the robber, which was carried by numerous
local media outlets. The tip to Crimestoppers was relayed to the St. Bernard
Sheriff's Office, which arrested Church at his home. 

In his home, investigators found a New Orleans Saints cap like the one the
robber is wearing in the surveillance photo, as well a flashlight they
believe Church used as the weapon. During the robbery he implied he had a
gun, the Sheriff's Office said. 

Church is being held at St. Bernard Parish Prison. Bond has not been set.