A Cape Coral man remained jailed Tuesday evening after he robbed a Taco Bell at gunpoint and stole $320 from a cash register, authorities reported.
Keith Powell Jones Jr., 30, of 1703 S.E. 16th St., was in custody at the Lee County Jail on $100,000 bond, according to booking records. He is facing one count of robbery with a firearm. Jones was arrested and charged on Monday.
Police responded to a 911 call reporting a robbery at the Taco Bell at 1616 Del Prado Blvd. S. at 8:30 p.m. Monday, police reported. The caller indicated that a man in a red hat, red shirt and sunglasses had entered the store with a handgun and took the money from an employee at the register, then fled.
A witness reported seeing a man leave the restaurant and run along a retention pond, where he removed and discarded the shirt he was wearing. The witness said the man ran to a residence on Southeast 16th Street, and police made contact with Jones and another man at 1703 S.E. 16th St.
According to officials, an employee said she was working the front counter when two men came in, ordered food and ate in the dining room. After they both left, Jones returned and showed her the handgun in his waistband and demanded cash. The manager opened the register and gave him the money.
Jones and the other man were questioned at police headquarters where the other man told detectives that they ate at Taco Bell and left. He said Jones had been talking about robbing a store and took a handgun with him to Taco Bell. After they left, Jones reportedly asked for the man’s shirt and hat.
The man started walking back to Jones’ home, he told the detectives. Just prior to reaching the home, Jones came running with no shirt. They entered the home and a few minutes later the Cape police showed up, the man said.
A red hat, sunglasses and handgun were recovered in the retention pond.
Jones told detectives that the other man needed money and stayed behind after he had left Taco Bell. He then invoked legal counsel and questioning was stopped, according to police officials. Jones was then arrested and charged.
He has a court date set for July 12, the booking records state.