A Mt. Airy man is in jail, charged in connection with the April 20 armed robbery at the Habersham County Landfill.
Billy Michael Reese was arrested without incident at his home Monday by Habersham County Sheriff’s deputies. He’s charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault, kidnapping, pointing a gun at another and theft by taking.
Sheriff’s investigators were able to collect video evidence and other items linking the suspect to the crime, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
A tape and a break
Video surveillance tape released by the Sheriff’s Office (below) shows the suspect entering the scale office around 10:30 on the morning of April 20 and pulling a gun on the female clerk. The suspect appears to say something and then motions at the clerk. She picks up some keys from her desk. As the suspect leans in to grab the keys, he touches the cash box in the open drawer and again motions at the clerk. She picks up the cash box and the suspect uses the gun to wave her out the door. The whole thing unfolds in less than a minute.
Once outside, officials say the suspect stole the clerk’s car to get away.
Investigators turned to the public for help in finding the suspect. Just over a month after the robbery they reported a break in the case when clothing believed to have been worn by the suspect was found and sent to the state crime lab for testing. At that point they had already interviewed a person of interest.
A bond hearing for Reese is set for Wednesday.
Surveillance video of armed robbery at Habersham County Landfill on April 20, 2017
