Anthony Robinson, 28, was the night clerk at the Microtel on Old Kings Road, near Palm Coast Parkway, early Monday morning. Around 3 a.m., about the time when he was beginning a shift audit, Robinson heard a laundry machine rattling, so he walked out of the side office door and directly across the hall to repair it. While working on the machine, he heard what sounded like the front lobby door opening and closing. It scrapes as it does so.
No one called out for assistance. Robinson didn’t think anything of it: the motel was full of guests from Biketoberfest. It wouldn’t be unusual for a guest to be returning to the hotel (or leaving it) late. After working on the laundry machine for about 10 minutes, Robinson walked back toward the office and opened the side door. That’s when a man who’d been on the other side of the door grabbed him, pointed a black, semi-automatic gun at his face and said: “Don’t look at me or I’ll kill you. This is a stick-up robbery. Just cooperate.”
The Flagler County Sheriff’s report on the incident is heavily redacted (it’s an active investigation, so some of the information may be withheld), so the sequence of events isn’t entirely clear. But soon after he was threatened, Robinson grabbed a pair of keys attached to his belt and gave them to the suspect, who went for the safe. Robinson was on the floor. The suspect was unable to open the safe, and was told that only the manager has the means to get in the safe. The suspect ordered Robinson back up to ask for the manager. It’s not clear what happened at that point: the manager was in another room in the hotel.
Robinson called the manager over the phone. While the suspect listened in on the conversation, Robinson asked the manager to come to the front desk to fix a computer problem. The manager refused, telling Robinson to call technical support and follow motel procedure.
Moments later, the suspect took a large black zip tie from his black duffel bag, according to the report, and tied Robinson’s hands behind his back before taking Robinson’s wallet and his Florida driver’s license. The suspect got away with about $300.
Sheriff’s patrols checked the Best Western, Fairfield Inn and Sleep Inn in the area for similar incidents. None had occurred there. A search of the area was fruitless.
The robber was described as black, 6 feet, 3 inches tall to 6 feet, 4 inches tall, in his late 20s or early 30s, wearing a black leather jacket, black beanie style cotton cap, gray gloves, white t-shirt, black baggy jeans and dark colored shoes. He had a black teardrop tattoo near one eye and oval-shaped birthmark on one cheek.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at (386) 313-4911 or Crimestoppers at 888-277-8477. You may remain anonymous and you may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.
Monday’s robbery was the second, at gunpoint, within a small radius of Palm Coast: six days earlier, barely a mile down the road–in the Woodlands at Blare Drive and Oak Trails Blvd., off of Old Kings Road–a resident walking in the neighborhood was robbed of his wallet at gunpoint by two men in a pick-up truck. The case remains unsolved.
County Worker says
Everyone in this county needs to start arming themselves and shooting these scumbags. Anyone that wonders why I answer my door with a gun in hand this is why.
SAW says
Grood description, ( “black teardrop tattoo near one eye and oval-shaped birthmark on one cheek”.) but no mention of race, carrying political correctness a little bit too far don’t you think ?
Sad because maybe next time this dirt bag will kill someone, so what’s the problem with the Flagler County Sheriff’s office are they putting other people at risk here ?
FlaglerLive says
SAW, this was not the Sheriff’s Office mistake, it was ours. Thanks for pointing it out.
SAW says
My apology to the Sheriff’s office !
palmcoaster says
To Saw …I figured that the person with “a black” tear drop tattoo in the face …could only be white, Asian, Latino or mixed race ..but obviously not Black. I won’t blame Flagler Live for being political correct as that was enough description presented to all. No need to get into discord race pointing as a crook will be a crook no matter the race. Thank You Flagler Live for publishing the robbery
Rain says
I hope the hotel comes up with a policy that includes a “help” word. When the manager was called the clerk should have been able to signal him without tipping off the robber.
palmcoaster says
Dear County Worker. No need for more weapons around…as sometimes these many weapons kill innocents in unintended actions or also in the hands of unfit one’s.
Just lets all keep alert and very aware of our surroundings and let our sheriff deputies do the weapon part as we pay for. Just keep our homes and cars locked…do not leave that garage wide open unattended all the time. Install motion detection lights in the four corners of your house if you do not have them yet as they are a proven great deterrent and cost only about $14 each set and adopt for companionship and barking alerts one of the local Humane Society, Curly’s Place, or Second Chance dogs available that are wagging their tails to you while begging for adoption. My pouch alerts me of any unexpected presence on my yard about 1/3 acre and have also prevented a robbery on my neighbor’s vessel after someone opened its hatch to steal equipment inside and my pouch barking’s scared them away, that night. So our beloved four legged companions sure pay over many times for their couple of hundred dollars a year in their vet visits and vaccines in our current crime occurrences worsened by this bad economy.
Abstract Thinking says
I have to agree with county worker on this. It might get to be a little too one-sided for comfort if weapons were only allowed in the hands of the government, don’t you think?
Good description of the robber, however since he didn’t cover his face I’d be suspicious of the teardrop tat.
Abstract Thinking says
edit: Agreeing with county worker on arming ourselves, not necessarily shooting …. unless forced to.
The Geode says
You people obviously have never been robed. If someone wants to rob you – you’re as good as robed. Having a gun tucked away in your fanny pack or in your glove box is no good when your hands are up in the air while you’re begging for your life. I get SO tired of these wanna-be-tough guys who thinks having a gun is the same as having a “force field”. It’s not, I assure you. I have seen (and done) things and can tell you from first hand experience that “the gun in your face TRUMPS the gun in your waist”. Yes. The gun was THAT close – and it was useless
.