News writer
Some gamblers play the lottery hoping for a big payday — others try to take a shortcut. A Memphis man thought he hit the jackpot when he allegedly swiped an entire case of lottery tickets from an Arkansas gas station.
However, luck wasn't on his side. While he managed to cash in a few tickets, his winnings were barely enough for a tank of gas before deputies tracked him down.
Gas station robbery
Around 1:30 a.m. CT, deputies from the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office responded to a call at the Turrell Travel Center located in Turrell, Arkansas. Officials said a man allegedly walked into the gas station, grabbed the entire case of Arkansas Lottery tickets, and then just walked out.
Deputies said the suspect was able to get away with almost $2,000 worth of tickets. However, he wasn't able to cash in much before authorities caught up with him.
Around 3:00 a.m. CT, officials saw a vehicle that matched the description of the suspect's vehicle that was seen on video footage from the Turrell Travel Center. The deputies got behind the vehicle and conducted a routine traffic stop.
During that traffic stop, the passenger in the vehicle, later identified as 32-year-old Robert White from Memphis, Tennessee, fit the description of the man seen in the gas station video earlier that morning.
Crittenden County Sheriff Chelsi Stafford told WREG that White had traveled from Turrell to Marked Tree. During that traveling, he had cashed in four of the tickets he had stolen, which they think was $80 in winners.
An arrest was made
Deputies were able to arrest White at the scene. He was transported and booked into the Crittenden County Detention Center.
White was charged with felony possession of drug paraphernalia, commercial burglary, and theft of property. He was being held on a $50,000 bond, officials said.
Stafford said they have seen several lottery ticket thefts across the state recently, adding that they will arrest you.
Owners being more cautious
Despite the robbery happening at the Turrell Travel Center, one of the co-owners said the employee handled it well. Despite White walking away with the lottery tickets, they said they don't run after customers when incidents like this happen.
Moving forward, they are going to be more cautious. Taylia Williams, co-owner of the gas station, told WREG:
We will bring the lottery ticket back, but we will put a case where they can view it on the outside, and we'll have to go under the counter and take it out of the lockbox.
Big instant game win
While White was only able to cash in $80 in winning tickets, an actual player had better luck. C. Willis of Mississippi County bought a $3 10X Cashword instant ticket from the Arkansas Lottery and ended up winning the top prize of $75,000.
Willis bought the winning ticket at Jordan's Kwik Stop 16, located at 1139 W. Main St. in Blytheville. She was on the phone with her fiancé when she determined she had won on the ticket, “hollering, kicking, and screaming” once she saw the big win.
Before this top prize win, the biggest win White had ever gotten was $100. Now she plans on using her winnings to help buy a house.
Enjoy playing the Arkansas Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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