A Dunnellon man is behind bars after being accused of robbing an Ocala pizza restaurant.
A Marion County sheriff’s Major Crimes detective was called to the Pizza Hut at 166 Marion Oaks Blvd. shortly before noon on Sunday and when he arrived, an employee told him that a white male between the ages of 30-40 had robbed her.
The employee said the man, later identified as 51-year-old Marcus Gilbert, had entered the store wearing a blue-and-white-striped shirt, sunglasses, tan shorts and something black partially covering his face. She added that he wasn’t wearing gloves.
The employee claimed that Gilbert approached the counter and said, “I’m not ordering a pizza. I’m robbing you.” She said she thought it was a joke until Gilbert indicated he had a gun and began pulling something of his left pocket. She said she believed he was showing her what appeared to be the wooden handle of a handgun, the report says.
The employee said she gave Gilbert the cash from her register in a plastic Pizza Hut bag. She said he then exited the business and headed east on foot.
The detective confirmed the employee’s story by watching the robbery on video surveillance footage. He also noticed that Gilbert had touched two menus that were on the counter with his right hand, which wasn’t covered by a glove.
Another sheriff’s deputy also watched the surveillance footage because he had made contact with a man earlier matching Gilbert’s description. He said he was certain that he had spoken with Gilbert and that he was wearing the same clothes shown on the video.
After fingerprints lifted from the menus were confirmed to be Gilbert’s, the detective started searching for him and his vehicle, a 2001 Nissan four-door sedan. He eventually located the car, which was backed in a parking space near a dumpster in a parking lot at 9548 SW Hwy. 200. Gilbert was in the vehicle and the detective noted that he appeared to have on the shorts and shoes that were worn during the robbery, the report says.
Gilbert’s vehicle was towed to an evidence bay to be searched. He refused to provide a statement to the detective and was taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Jail.
Gilbert, who lives at 19940 SW 96th Ln. in Dunnellon, was charged with robbery with a firearm and violating probation on a charge of fraud to increase benefits. He was being held on no bond and is due in court Aug. 27 and Sept. 17 to answer to the charges, jail records show.