Formal charges have been filed against a Taylorsville-area man accused of robbing the same convenience store twice.
An initial hearing for Kobe T. Harmeson, 25, of 7831 Lykins Drive, was held Thursday in Bartholomew Circuit Court. Harmeson is charged with robbery as a Level 5 felony, possession of methamphetamine as a Level 6 felony, and possession of a narcotic drug as a Level 6 felony.
The Edinburgh Interstate Shell convenience store, located on the west side of U.S. 31 across from the Indiana Premium Outlets, was held up at about 6:24 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, according to Bartholomew County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Dane Duke.
A male suspect came inside the store and told the male cashier that “I need money now,” according to a probable cause affidavit. Investigators say the cashier told them the robber appeared to have a weapon in his hoodie jacket pocket that was pointed at him.
Fearing for his life, the employee gave the masked suspect everything out of the register, the affidavit states. Investigators say they believe the robber was in and out of the store in less than a minute.
But deputies had plenty of leads. According to the cashier, the robber was a frequent customer who came in to buy cigars, according to the court documents.
In addition, the Toyota Camry the robber was driving had easily identifiable characteristics – including a license plate – that were captured on external security cameras, Duke stated.
Just 24 minutes after the robbery, deputies spotted the Camry next to a residence in the Tannehill Pointe mobile home park where Harmeson lived with family members, according to the affidavit.
Shortly after 7 a.m., deputies spoke to the defendant’s father, James Harmeson, who claimed he was unaware the Toyota had been driven that morning, investigators said. After watching the surveillance footage from the store, James Harmeson was able to identify the robber as his son, the affidavit states.
While the father initially claimed his son wasn’t home and was reluctant to let deputies inside the home, James Harmeson eventually agreed to a search. Kobe Harmeson, who was found sitting on the floor of a back bedroom, was arrested without incident.
After being taken to the Bartholomew County Jail, a search turned up three different types of suspected narcotics hidden in Harmeson’s groin area, the court document states. Investigators identified them as fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana.
That discovery led to another search of the Harmeson home where $231, a Smith and Wesson handgun, and various forms of marijuana and residue were taken by deputies as evidence, according to the court affidavits.
Investigators say the clothing and accessories worn during the robbery were found at the Tannehill fishing site.
During questioning, Kobe Harmeson admitted holding up the store and was able to give investigators a timeline of events, the affidavit states. However, the defendant said he did not have a gun during the robbery, claiming he just used his fingers to simulate a firearm in his hoodie pocket.
Harmeson was arrested for burglarizing the same convenience store in 2020, Duke said.
When asked about the money from the robbery, the defendant claimed it all fell out of his sweatshirt pocket.
Harmeson remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 surety bond or 10% cash. His pre-trial conference is currently scheduled for 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 16, with a tentative trial date of 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 28.
