04/28/2014 - Sheriff Releases Information Regarding Arrest of Robbery Suspect

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SC (April 28, 2014) This morning Sheriff Chuck Wright addressed the media regarding the arrest of Robert Allen. Mr. Allen is the suspect in several robberies that took place within multiple jurisdictions last week. The Press Conference was held in the Media Room of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office at 10:00 AM.

During the press conference Sheriff Wright released the following information -

On 4.25.14 at 10:55 AM, Robert Craig Allen went into the Dollar General Store located at 7585 Reidville Road and told the clerk that he had a gun. The clerk gave Mr. Allen the cash in the register and Allen left the scene driving a teal green in color Chevrolet truck. A few hours later Mr. Allen robbed a Family Dollar Store on S. Pleasantburg Drive in Greenville County. The same clothing description and vehicle description was given. Deputies with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Greenville Police Department began working together to develop a suspect. Robert Craig Allen was quickly identified as the suspect. On 4.25.14 at 5:54 PM, Allen went into the Dollar General Store located at 4580 Highway 146 and told the clerk he had a gun and demanded cash. Allen left that location in the teal green in color Chevrolet truck. Deputies then worked through the night in an attempt to locate Robert Craig Allen. On 4.26.14 at 2:21 AM, deputies located the suspect’s vehicle (teal green in color Chevrolet truck) on the side of Old Spartanburg Highway. Deputies continued their search for Mr. Allen. On 4.26.14 at approximately 6:30 AM, Robert Craig Allen robbed the Citgo inside the city limits of Woodruff , SC. The same suspect description was given as in the previous robberies. Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deputies located Mr. Allen walking along Old Spartanburg Highway a short time later. He was quickly taken into custody. It was later learned that Mr. Allen had attempted to rob the Citgo station located at 4001 Highway 101 on 4.25.14 at approximately 6:00 PM but while trying to rob the store a customer scared him off.

This investigation was a cooperative effort between the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville Police Department, Greenville county Sheriff’s Office, Woodruff Police Department and the Spartanburg County Communications Center. All these agencies worked hand in hand to bring this crime spree to a prompt end.

Robert Craig Allen is currently being held at the Spartanburg county Sheriff’s Office Detention Center. He has been charged with three counts of Armed Robbery and one count of Attempted Armed Robbery. The Greenville Police Department has charged Mr. Allen with one count of Armed Robbery. Mr. Allen will be re-leased to the custody of the Greenville Police Department at such time he makes bond here in Spartanburg County.