Police Post Another Armed Robbery Arrest

By Sam Thrift Saturday, July 02, 2011

The York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office collaborated with the James City County and Williamsburg Police Department in arresting 21-year-old Joshua Anderson of Williamsburg on June 29 for several robberies that have occurred over the past month.

Anderson lives in the 1500 block of Ernestine Avenue. He's been tied to Gary Piggott, who was arrested June 30 after he allegedly robbed a Wendy’s with another suspect, for armed robberies they are believed to have committed in early June.

The police believe that on June 6 both men, armed with handguns, robbed the Days Inn in the 700 block of Lightfoot Road. On June 7 the men are believed to have robbed the Miller Mart on the same street at gunpoint.

At 1 a.m.  June 8, police believe the two men entered the 7-Eleven on Merrimac Trail and robbed the store and an employee at gunpoint. During the robbery a female customer entered the store. The police believe that Anderson and Piggott robbed the customer and then tried to steal from the customer’s mother – who was waiting in the car - when they left the store. They were unsuccessful in taking anything from the customer’s mother.

Anderson faces the following felony charges: two counts of robbery, two counts of conspiracy to commit a robbery, one count of firearm use in the commission of a felony, one count of abduction and one count of wearing a mask in public.

Piggott has been charged by the York-Poquoson Sherriff’s Office with two counts of robbery, two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery, two counts of firearm use in the commission of a felony, two counts of wearing a mask in public and one count of abduction.

James City County Police also charged Piggott with one count of robbery and four counts of abduction for his role in the armed robbery of the Wendy’s on Richmond Road in Lightfoot on June 29. With only the Wendy’s drive-thru open at 11:10 p.m., two black males - one believed to be Piggott, the other not yet identified - climbed through the window wearing masks and armed with handguns. They ordered the four employees to go to the back of the restaurant and lie on the floor. They then instructed the manager to open the safe, stole an undisclosed amount of cash and fled out the back door.

One of the victims reported seeing an SUV - either silver, tan or gold in color - leaving the parking lot traveling west on Richmond Road. James City County police saw the vehicle a short time later on Croaker Road, turning into the Station at Norge Apartments. When police gave chase, both suspects left the SUV and fled on foot into the woods behind the apartment complex.

James City County Police, along with the Virginia State Police, York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office, Williamsburg Police and James City County Fire Marshal’s Office searched the area with a helicopter and K-9 units. About six and a half hours later they took Piggott into custody on the railroad tracks behind the Colonial Carwash on Richmond Road.

James City County Police Major Steve Rubino said in an interview that believe they know the identity of the second Wendy’s robbery suspect and are looking for him now.

Major Greg Riley of the Williamsburg Police Department said in an email that investigators there are investigating if these robberies are associated with a similar armed robbery that took place at 11:35 p.m. June 13 at the McDonald’s on Richmond Road.

According to a press release, in that incident two black males entered the restaurant with handguns and ordered the store's four customers to get behind the counter. They then told one clerk to empty the registers and another to empty the safe. The employees and customers were then ordered to go to the back of the McDonald’s and stay on the floor while the robbers fled.

“At this time we're investigating all possible leads but I'm not able to disclose any facts because they might jeopardize the investigation,” Riley said.

Anyone with information about any of these crimes is asked to call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.