NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. — On Mon., Aug. 7, the Neptune Beach Police Department was called to the Publix Pharmacy at 600 Atlantic Blvd. in response to a reported armed robbery.
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Russell E. Gnann threatened pharmacy staff while concealing what police said was a fake handgun under a towel. He was able to make off with a large quantity of Xanax prescription pills.
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His crime spree didn’t end there. He was reported to have committed another aggravated assault in a hair salon next door to Publix. Gnann then jumped into a Lyft vehicle and fled the scene.
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“Upon seeing police activity, the observant Lyft driver began putting things together and after dropping Gnann off a short distance away, called us,” NBPD said in a social media statement.
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Not long after, Gnann was located and taken into custody by Atlantic Beach Police Department officers. According to NBPD, he was arrested and charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (two counts) and possession of a controlled substance.
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