A Rincon man allegedly robbed the Gate gas station at the corner of Fort Howard Road and Highway 21 around 3:30 a.m. Monday morning.

Rincon police say that John Christopher Way, 24, held the sole clerk at gunpoint with a 380 automatic and stole between $100-150 in cash. After the robbery the clerk called the police.

Cpl. Brian Boatright with the Rincon police department responded to the call. He knew the suspect from prior contact, according to Chief David Schofield, and drove to his house in hopes of finding Way there. Instead, the suspect was shopping at Wal-Mart.

At around 4 a.m., an employee of the store called the police, reporting that Way was there. Officers had provided the personnel with a description of Way earlier. The suspect was arrested inside the store and officers found the stolen money on him.   

Way, who has a criminal history, is now being held in the Effingham County Jail charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault with a firearm and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Asked if robberies are on the rise, Schofield replied, “It’s no more than normal.”

He advises residents to be aware of their surroundings when patronizing establishments at all hours of the night and morning.