One Arrested in Royston Armed Robbery

Reports indicate that a man is in custody, charged in connection to an alleged armed robbery at a Royston drug store.

According to a Facebook post from the Royston Police Department, the robbery was reported just before 8:45 p.m. at the Rite Aid in Royston.

Royston Police said that a suspect placed a box on the counter at the store and said it was a bomb in order to rob the store.

Police said the suspect then fled, taking a truck owned by Royston Police Chief Donnie Boleman, as his wife was working at the time at the Rite-Aid.

Chief Boleman said that while Royston and Franklin County emergency personnel were evacuating the area around Rite-Aid due to the possible explosive device, authorities were put on the lookout for the vehicle.

According to an accessnorthga.com report, a GSP trooper spotted the vehicle on Georgia Highway 51 and arrested the suspect as he tried to flee.

The Royston Police Department identified the suspect as Michael James Starnes.

Reports indicate there was no explosive device.