LUFKIN, Texas — A Lufkin man was arrested after allegedly robbing a convenience store Sunday.
According to Lufkin police, around 6:50 p.m. officers were called to Bigs located at 1203 South Chestnut (two-point) for a robbery that had just occurred.
Police say the store clerk reported that a male regular customer, though she did not know his name, came into the store and asked to buy beer that was not in the display cooler. The clerk went to the back of the store to get the beer. When she returned to the register area, she says the man followed her around the counter.
The clerk says the man pulled out a sharp object and told her “just cooperate.”
He demanded her to put the beer in a bag and to open the registers. She then placed the money in the bag along with three packs of cigarettes.
Police say the man fled toward East Denman Avenue.
Officers were able to obtain surveillance video, which showed the crime as the clerk described.
Officer Roger Ordaz recognized the man as Clifton Tatum, 61, of Lufkin. Tatum is a registered sex offender and Ordaz is his accountability officer.
Officers went to a home where Tatum was known to stay. While searching the area, they found a vacant house at 1011 Mitchell Avenue with an unsecured back door.
Police were able to locate Tatum inside the house less than an hour later. He was still wearing the same clothes and had several beers around him.
According to the LPD, officers found a pair of kitchen scissors that he allegedly used to threaten the store clerk. They also found an undisclosed amount of cash in his pocket that matched the amount taken from the register.
Tatum was arrested for aggravated robbery and is being held at the Angelina County Jail.
