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11-18-2008, 08:55 AM
Sheriff's Stepmother a Victim
Man Arrested in Lakeland Church Robbery
By Jeremy Maready
THE LEDGER
Man Arrested in Lakeland Church Robbery | theledger.com | The Ledger | Lakeland, FL (http://www.theledger.com/article/20081117/NEWS/811170373/1410?Title=Man_Arrested_in_Lakeland_Church_Robbery #)
Published: Monday, November 17, 2008 at 12:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 12:40 a.m.
LAKELAND | Don't mess with God, Grady Judd or his stepmother.
Harold S. Williams
Related Links:
Man Steals Lakeland Church's Offering
XXX
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Click to enlarge Cross the line with all three and expect the cavalry to hunt you down.
Detectives late Monday arrested Harold S. Williams, 28, 1635 Goodyear Ave. in Lakeland, and charged him with taking Sunday's offering from Crystal Lake Baptist Church, 1000 Mount Airy Ave. in Lakeland.
He's accused of snatching the $100 in tithes and offerings from the hand of Sheriff' Grady Judd's stepmother, Shirley Judd, who is the church treasurer.
Williams is charged with robbery by sudden snatching, a third-degree felony, and disrupting a religious assembly, a second-degree misdemeanor.
Within minutes of the 11:30 a.m. robbery, deputies, K-9 units and the Polk County Sheriff's Office helicopter swarmed the scene, searching for the man.
"Thank the Lord I wasn't hurt or injured," said Shirley Judd.
After church ushers gathered the morning offering from the nearly 70 members, they took the money to a vestibule near the church's front entrance for Judd to count.
Judd had seen the man sitting in the back row. He was a newcomer, his second week at the church.
The man followed the ushers to the back of the church, witnesses said.
As he approached Judd, he had his wallet out, as if looking to make a donation, she said.
But he didn't have any money, she said. "He said, 'I thought I had some change, but I don't.'"
"I think it was kind of a ploy," Judd said.
An ushers told him not to worry and to enjoy the service.
Instead, the man followed Judd when she left the vestibule, money in hand, walking to the church office.
"He came from behind and snatched it and took off," she said. "I'm just glad he didn't pull a weapon or try to knock me down."
Judd told church officials what had happened and immediately called 911.
"When you pass a name like Grady Judd, things get going pretty quick," said Perry Weatherford, a deacon at the church. "They (sheriff's deputies) were really responsive."
About six patrol deputies responded within the first few minutes of the call. And the number grew, adding K-9 units and the Sheriff's Office helicopter to the mix, Weatherford said.
"There wasn't an unusual number of units that responded," said Donna Wood, a PCSO spokeswoman. "When a suspect flees, especially on foot, there is always the possibility that he may still be in the area. We're always going to respond accordingly."
The Sunday before the robbery the man had filled out a visitor card with the name Harold, along with a phone number and address, neither of which checked out with detectives, Weatherford said.
"We had sent him a welcome letter. I guess that will come back, won't it?"
Man Arrested in Lakeland Church Robbery
By Jeremy Maready
THE LEDGER
Man Arrested in Lakeland Church Robbery | theledger.com | The Ledger | Lakeland, FL (http://www.theledger.com/article/20081117/NEWS/811170373/1410?Title=Man_Arrested_in_Lakeland_Church_Robbery #)
Published: Monday, November 17, 2008 at 12:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 12:40 a.m.
LAKELAND | Don't mess with God, Grady Judd or his stepmother.
Harold S. Williams
Related Links:
Man Steals Lakeland Church's Offering
XXX
click to enlarge YYY
Click to enlarge Cross the line with all three and expect the cavalry to hunt you down.
Detectives late Monday arrested Harold S. Williams, 28, 1635 Goodyear Ave. in Lakeland, and charged him with taking Sunday's offering from Crystal Lake Baptist Church, 1000 Mount Airy Ave. in Lakeland.
He's accused of snatching the $100 in tithes and offerings from the hand of Sheriff' Grady Judd's stepmother, Shirley Judd, who is the church treasurer.
Williams is charged with robbery by sudden snatching, a third-degree felony, and disrupting a religious assembly, a second-degree misdemeanor.
Within minutes of the 11:30 a.m. robbery, deputies, K-9 units and the Polk County Sheriff's Office helicopter swarmed the scene, searching for the man.
"Thank the Lord I wasn't hurt or injured," said Shirley Judd.
After church ushers gathered the morning offering from the nearly 70 members, they took the money to a vestibule near the church's front entrance for Judd to count.
Judd had seen the man sitting in the back row. He was a newcomer, his second week at the church.
The man followed the ushers to the back of the church, witnesses said.
As he approached Judd, he had his wallet out, as if looking to make a donation, she said.
But he didn't have any money, she said. "He said, 'I thought I had some change, but I don't.'"
"I think it was kind of a ploy," Judd said.
An ushers told him not to worry and to enjoy the service.
Instead, the man followed Judd when she left the vestibule, money in hand, walking to the church office.
"He came from behind and snatched it and took off," she said. "I'm just glad he didn't pull a weapon or try to knock me down."
Judd told church officials what had happened and immediately called 911.
"When you pass a name like Grady Judd, things get going pretty quick," said Perry Weatherford, a deacon at the church. "They (sheriff's deputies) were really responsive."
About six patrol deputies responded within the first few minutes of the call. And the number grew, adding K-9 units and the Sheriff's Office helicopter to the mix, Weatherford said.
"There wasn't an unusual number of units that responded," said Donna Wood, a PCSO spokeswoman. "When a suspect flees, especially on foot, there is always the possibility that he may still be in the area. We're always going to respond accordingly."
The Sunday before the robbery the man had filled out a visitor card with the name Harold, along with a phone number and address, neither of which checked out with detectives, Weatherford said.
"We had sent him a welcome letter. I guess that will come back, won't it?"