A Bedford County man faces charges that include robbery, abduction and eluding police after a convenience store holdup late last night in Botetourt County near the Bedford County line. Sheriff’s deputies say a man walked into the Blue Ridge Minute Mart on US 460 and ordered the clerk to open the drawer and hand him the money. Officials say about 15 minutes later, a Bedford County deputy spotted a vehicle matching the given description, and after a brief pursuit, the vehicle was stopped, and the driver was found to match the description and carrying “a large sum of money” in his pockets. The clerk ID’d him as the robber, and at that point, Oscar L. Peters, 37 of Thaxton, VA was arrested. He’s currently jailed without bond.
(Continue reading for the full Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office news release.)
From the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office:
Botetourt County Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle reports that just before 11pm last night, Botetourt County 911 Dispatch Center received a hold up alarm from the Blue Ridge Minute Mart which is located near the Botetourt and Bedford County line. Deputies responded and talked to the Clerks who were on duty. The clerks advised that a white male wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt entered the store and asked for a pack of cigarettes. The clerk got the cigarettes and as the purchase was being processed at the register, the suspect told her to open the drawer and hand him the money. The clerk did as directed. The suspect encountered a store customer and told the customer to get back and stand to the side. The suspect kept his hand in his pocket and indicated he had a firearm; however, no weapon was displayed. The suspect left the store and got into a vehicle described as a dark colored SUV and headed East on to Rt. 460 into Bedford County. Deputies asked the Dispatch Center to issue an order to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle.
At approximately 11:16 pm a Bedford County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle. After a pursuit, the vehicle was stopped and the suspect was taken into custody. The suspect was found to have on a black hooded sweatshirt and a large sum of money in his pockets. He was returned to Botetourt County, identified by the Clerk and taken to the Botetourt County Jail. The suspect is identified as Oscar L. Peters, 37 of Thaxton, VA. He is being charged with Robbery and Abduction in Botetourt County and Felony Eluding Police in Bedford County. Peters is being held in the Botetourt County Jail with no bond being set at the present time.
