Robbery suspect seen on surveilance video is identified and in custody

March 16, 2012

 

 

Saint Paul Police partner with community to identify and arrest robbery suspect

 

 

A 26-year-old man is under arrest in connection with a robbery at a Saint Paul convenience store in which the suspect struck a child and brandished a gun just inches from the child in the late afternoon of Wednesday, March 7, 2012.

 

Images of the robbery were shared with the public days after the robbery and concerned community members responded with a number of leads for investigators to follow. Working off of that information, investigators identified the suspect and began to search for him.

 

At about 7 p.m., Thursday, March 15, 2012, investigators working in partnership with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrested Andrew Kenneth Nickles in the Lake Elmo area during a traffic stop. Nickles was taken into custody without incident.

 

The case is expected to be presented to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office today for consideration of criminal charges. Nickles’ booking photo is available by contacting the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Saint Paul police investigators wish to thank the many community members who partnered with authorities in order to help identify this suspect. Information that helped to generate the numerous calls included the following:

 

On Wednesday, March 7, 2012, police were called to the Corner Express Foods convenience store in the 1600 block of East Seventh Street on a call of a robbery attempt that had taken place at about 5 p.m. At that time, a man approached the cashier’s counter where two children were standing as their mother shopped. Standing within inches of the children, the suspect pulled a gun out and pointed it at a store employee, striking one of the children in the head with his elbow in the process.

 

The children did not require medical attention and were not otherwise harmed, but the suspect continued to demand money and threaten the store employee. At times he crawled over the counter, grabbed the employee and tried to reach for money in the cash register.