Dollar General Robbery Suspect Nabbed in Pinellas Park

Image: William Charles Cornish (Pasco County Sheriff’s Office)

An anonymous tip led to the arrest Monday of a suspect in the robbery last week of a Dollar General store in New Port Richey, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Police arrested William Charles Cornish, 49, in Pinellas Park and charged him with armed robbery and aggravated assault, the sheriff’s office said. He’s being held in the Pinellas County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

Cornish was identified by a tipster who contacted Crime Stoppers, and witnesses confirmed his identity, the sheriff’s office said. Through the Crime Stoppers program, citizens can provide anonymous tips to law enforcement agencies via a toll-free phone number, website or mobile phone application.

On Nov. 11, sheriff’s deputies responded to the report of an Dollar General, 4404 Grand Blvd. The suspect, who had been sitting on a silver motorcycle in the parking lot, entered the store armed with a gun and ordered the clerk to the register, the sheriff’s office said.

The clerk refused, and the suspect went behind the counter and picked up the register in an attempt to open it. The suspect, later identified as Cornish, approached the clerk and began hitting him with the gun, the sheriff’s office said.

The suspect then grabbed a money bag from the clerk and fled on the silver motorcycle. About 30 minutes later, a silver motorcycle was involved in a traffic accident at Ackerman Street and 7th Avenue in New Port Richey.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper and Pasco sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene, finding “items related to the robbery,” the sheriff’s office said. But the motorcycle’s rider had disappeared.

The Crime Stoppers tip on Friday identified Cornish and his location in Pinellas Park, the sheriff’s office said. On Monday, a detective from the Pasco sheriff’s office, with the assistance of Pinellas Park police, responded to the address and arrested Cornish.