Juvenile arrested in Daleville robbery

A juvenile has been arrested by for the recent robbery of a Daleville business owner.

According to Interim Daleville Police Chief Allen Medley, the Daleville Police Department received an anonymous tip on Tuesday, April 9, providing the names of four possible suspects in the April 6 robbery of the owner of McLin’s restaurant. He said all four of the possible suspects were Daleville High School students.

Medley told the Daleville Sun-Courier that all four possible suspects were detained and questioned, following protocols for questioning juveniles when necessary.

Though DHS students were questioned, Medley stated the robbery was not “school related.”

“This happened outside of school,” he said. “This has nothing to do with Daleville High School.”

After questioning the possible suspects, Medley said the DPD obtained a confession “to the actions that took place Saturday night” from a juvenile student, whose name was not provided.

The juvenile was taken into custody without incident, charged as an adult with first-degree robbery and taken to the Dale County Jail. No bond has been set at this time.

Medley said the robbery is still under investigation and more arrests “are likely to come” after “strong evidence” was collected to be analyzed.

The robbery of the owner of McLin’s restaurant took place in the business’ parking lot at approximately 9:30 p.m., according to a previous release from the DPD and Medley. It stated the Daleville Department of Public Safety, Dale County Sheriff’s Office and Alabama State Troopers descended on the scene of the incident.

The release stated the Dale County District Attorney’s Office was offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect, who was described as a black male six feet tall, dressed in all black with dreads.

Medley, who called on citizens to provide information leading to the arrest of the robbery suspect, thanked the community for its help in the case.

“I can’t do my job without (DPD officers) and without the community’s help,” he said. “This was definitely community involved (scenario) where (investigators) got information that they came up here and shared with us. Fortunately for us, it was the right information. It had very good, stong leads.

“It takes community help just like what we had today.”

He thanked his investigators for their quick work in investigating the leads provided, leading to the arrests. DSCO investigators, Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson and Chief Deputy Mason Bynum were also thanked for their assistance in this case.