By Gary Lloyd
JEFFERSON COUNTY — A 22-year-old Center Point man remains in the Jefferson County Jail charged with eight counts of first-degree robbery.
On Dec. 3, 2014, sheriff’s detectives began investigating the robbery of two victims at the Dollar Tree store in the 2300 block of Center Point Parkway. During the investigation robberies were also reported at the Family Dollar in the 2000 block of Center Point Parkway on Dec. 11 and the Dollar General in the 2200 block of Brewster Road in Clay on Jan. 3.
A series of five similar robberies occurred during this time frame in the city limits of Birmingham. No one was injured during any of the robberies.
In each case the suspect would pose as a customer making a small purchase such as a bag of chips. He would even let other customers check out before him so he was alone with the cashier, according to a statement from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. He would then produce a handgun and demand money from the register.
In many of the cases the suspect wore the same clothes. Detectives from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office working alongside detectives from the Birmingham Police Department identified Derrias Alexander Waldrop of Center Point as the suspect. He was arrested and placed in the Jefferson County Jail.
Waldrop is currently charged with eight counts of first-degree robbery and his bonds total $345,000. Additional charges are expected.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.