Sheriff's Office: Apologetic robber caught after holding up two convenience stores on Labor Day

Courtesy photo. Robert Jackman, 39, no address given, was arrested Monday on charges of robbing two convenience stores in the Daytona Beach area with a handgun.

DAYTONA BEACH -- An apologetic thief robbed two convenience stores near Daytona Beach on Labor Day morning, but was caught with the stolen goods just under half an hour after the second robbery behind another convenience store, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

Robert Jackman, 39, stole not only cash, but also drinks, a sandwich and motor oil at gunpoint.

No shots were fired and no one was injured, but one store clerk said that Jackman told her he was sorry before he fled.

The first robbery happened at the Kangaroo Express, 1101 Derbyshire Road, Holly Hill, at approximately 7:05 a.m. Jackman entered the store and shopped around, picking up a beer, a sub sandwich and a bottle of motor oil. He placed the items on the counter and the store clerk, who was the only person in the store, scanned them in.

But then Jackman pulled a gun from the front of his pants and said, "I want everything." The clerk took cash out of the register and Jackman told her to bag his merchandise and the money. The 50-year-old woman said that Jackman then looked directly at her, said "sorry" and walked out of the store, Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.

The second robbery happened at the 7-11, 1200 Flomich Street, Daytona Beach, at approximately 7:21 a.m. Jackman once again walked into the store and shopped, this time picking up some more engine oil, a frapachino and a 32-ounce plastic mug. Once the items were rung up, Jackman pulled out a gun and ordered the 24-year-old clerk to bag the items along with all the cash in the register, the Sheriff's spokesman said.

Jackman then walked out of the store, Haught said, adding another customer was in the store in line behind Jackman as he robbed the clerk, and a store manager was in a back room. When Volusia County Sheriff's deputies arrived on scene, the clerk and customer gave a suspect description similar to what the Kangaroo Express victim had provided, including Jackman's ponytail and a T-shirt with a "Sylvan" logo on it.

At approximately 7:46 a.m., an Ormond Beach Police officer found Jackman behind a 7-11 store at 170 N. Nova Road, Ormond Beach. The victims later identified the Holly Hill man as the one who robbed their stores.

Jackman was charged with two counts of armed robbery and two counts of aggravated assault. He was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.