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<p><strong>From staff reports</strong></p>
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<p>Latoya Washington, 34, of Seabrook was arrested Wednesday, Dec. 15, and charged with strong-arm robbery, according to Beaufort City Police spokesperson Capt. George Erdel.</p>
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<p>At 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Beaufort Police officers responded to the report of a strong-arm robbery that occurred at the Belk store at 332 Robert Smalls Parkway.</p>
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<p>The complainant, a 37-year-old woman, reported that while attending to a Salvation Army donation kettle located outside of Bell, she was approached by the suspect Washington.</p>
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<p>Washington allegedly approached the volunteer and began to yell at her, which caused the complainant to retreat into the store. Washington was then observed by multiple witnesses smashing open the donation kettle on the ground and taking money from it.</p>
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<p>According to Beaufort Police, when the volunteer attempted to intervene and prevent the theft, Washington shoved her to the ground and fled with money taken from the kettle. An alert citizen driving by the incident followed Washington as she fled into the nearby Walmart, where she was subsequently located by patrol officers and arrested.</p>
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<p>Washington was charged with strong-arm robbery and transported to the Beaufort County Detention center without incident.</p>
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