Vero Beach Crime Blotter: March 16

Phone, clothing left behind helps police nab Mulligan’s robbery suspect

VERO BEACH — A phone with text messages and calls to a getaway driver and a Mulligan's employee, along with DNA extracted from a mask, helped detectives make an arrest in the armed robbery of a beachside restaurant that occurred in mid-August. Officers said the suspect left behind his phone, mask, and other items during his escape. After the robbery, the suspect met up with the Mulligan's employee at a barbecue in Gifford, reports show. Police on Wednesday arrested Sederick Maurice Upton, 43, of the 2400 block of 42nd Street, Gifford, on charges of robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping or false imprisonment and burglary with assault. Upton was held Saturday at the Indian River ...

Sheriff: Community helps solve cases in attempted abductions

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The tips kept coming in. There were calls. There was even a close-up photo of a person deputies would connect to at least two attempted abductions of two women. The help from residents, deputies say, helped them nab the suspect: a 13-year-old Pointe West resident. Wednesday, dozens of people gathered at the gazebo in the neighborhood to hear Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers give an update on the events, which happened not far from 16th Street and 74th Avenue. "The community provided us the photo which helped us solve this case. It made a massive difference," Flowers said.  "We were able to get on him right away, track him and get him into custody." The ...

Student arrested after ‘bomb’ note that led to lockdown, campus search

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Deputies arrested an 11-year-old Storm Grove Middle School student one day after another student found a suspicious note prompting a campus lockdown and search. The note described a bomb on campus, sheriff's officials said. "The student wrote the note and admitted to placing it between the lockers," said Sgt. Kevin Jaworski, a spokesperson with the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. The girl was taken into custody about 3 p.m. Thursday, Jaworski said. The student was charged with written threats to kill, a second-degree felony offense. "We are not releasing (the student's) name at this time," Jaworski said. The girl will be taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Fort Pierce. The other student found the ...