Robbery suspect caught after grabbing gas station cashier’s throat, stealing cash: Deputies

BRANDON, Fla. - A robber dressed in a multicolored hoody grabbed a woman by the throat while she was working at a 7-Eleven in Brandon, according to deputies.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, detectives arrested 33-year-old José Cruz Tapia, the man they say robbed the gas station located at 810 East Brandon Boulevard early Thursday morning.

Booking photo of José Cruz Tapia. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. 

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Around 4:41 a.m., deputies say an unknown man walked into the gas station and stole cash from the registers. He forced the woman working at the counter to open the register by grabbing her by the throat and holding out a box cutter-type knife, according to officials.

Deputies say they are are searching for this man who robbed a 7-Eleven around 4:41 a.m. on Thursday.

"To watch this criminal forcefully take what he wants and attack an employee trying to make an honest living goes against everything we stand for as residents of Hillsborough County and as your Sheriff's Office," said Sheriff Chad Chronister in a press release. "We will find this violent offender and make sure the victim of this crime sees justice."

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Authorities say the suspect took off running eastbound on East Brandon Boulevard. He was eventually caught and arrested on multiple charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, armed false imprisonment and robbery with a deadly weapon.