Syracuse TNT Gas Station robbery suspect in custody
POMEROY – Sheriff Keith Wood reports that charges are being filed against Derek Nichols, 27, of Pomeroy for the January 27, 2017 Armed Robbery of the TNT Gas Station in Syracuse.
Deputies first received the report of a masked suspect entering the TNT Gas Station at approximately 9:20 p.m. with a knife demanding money. The suspect was allegedly wearing a dark colored hoodie with a Trojan emblem along with a mask and gloves. Deputies learned from the clerk that the suspect took off one of his gloves to remove cash from the drawer, which exposed a tattoo that the clerk observed. Video surveillance footage confirmed a tattoo on the suspect’s right hand according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Jeff Perry, being familiar with Nichols in a Burglary investigation, went to Nichols residence on Jan. 28 and questioned Nichols about the robbery. Nichols gave conflicting stories of his whereabouts during the time of the robbery and denied any knowledge of the robbery. Nichols consented to photos being taken of the tattoo on his right hand. Deputy Perry showed the clerk the photo and she confirmed that tattoo being the same tattoo as the suspect of the robbery. When Deputy Perry returned to speak with Nichols, Nichols had left in his father’s vehicle.
A warrant for Nichol’s arrest was issued for the unrelated burglary charge and he was arrested by the West Virginia State Police, Spencer Detachment, in the evening hours of Jan. 28. Upon Nichol’s arrest, cash was seized from his person which was consistent with cash that would be in a cash drawer. Nichols waived extradition to Ohio and was available for picked up by the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 8, 2017. Deputy Joe Barnhart interviewed Derek Nichols about the Armed Robbery of the TNT Gas Station, where Nichols allegedly gave a full confession to committing the Robbery.
Nichols will remain incarcerated pending arraignment on both the Armed Robbery charges as well as the Burglary charges in the Meigs County Court.
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