A homeless man from Ocala was arrested after allegedly threatening the manager of Bob’s Zippy Martet with a knife for a can of tea.
An officer responded to Bob’s Zippy Market, located at 311 N Dixie Ave., because the store had been robbed at knifepoint around 7:15 a.m. Thursday, May 28, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department. The caller described how 39-year-old Andrew Michael Golden walked out with a drink that he was now consuming right outside the business.
When the officer arrived, he immediately recognized Golden from previous calls. He was still standing in the parking lot, holding a $1.05 can of Arizona Green Tea, the report said.
The officer proceeded to question Golden, who stated he was just standing there. He had the knife, which was now strapped to his calf, to use for protection. When asked what happened, he stated he took his knife out, held it up across his chest and told the employee that he would protect him, the report said.
However, the manager advised that Golden talked to him for a minute before getting a drink. He then walked up to the counter, showed him the knife and stated he was not paying for the drink. He walked outside, giving the manager time to lock the doors and contact the police. The manager added that he feared being hurt or that Golden would come back to rob him again, the report said.
Golden was subsequently arrested and patted down for any possible weapons. The officer found a gold tin on him, and it contained a baggie with 1.24 grams of marijuana, the report said.
He was charged with armed robbery, petit theft, possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked at Lake County Jail with bond set at $22,500.