Texarkana Arkansas Police have arrested Troy Ware, 65 of Texarkana Arkansas for 14 different armed robberies in the Texarkana area, including the robbery of the Bancorp South branch on North Stateline Avenue.
TAPD Press Release:
The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department arrested Troy Ware, 65yoa, of Texarkana,
Arkansas, Wednesday morning after nearly a yearlong investigation of multiple
reported armed robberies committed throughout the Texarkana area in 2017.
Troy Ware, 65
The Texarkana Arkansas Police Criminal Investigation Division began their yearlong
investigation in February of 2017 when the Bancorp South, in the 2200 block of North
State Line Avenue was robbed at gunpoint by a person who placed an object in the
business door to prevent the door from closing while he held the clerks at gunpoint and
took what money he could. Thirteen additional robberies, committed in similar fashion,
continued throughout Texarkana during the 11 months since February ’17. In one
instance, when a store clerk failed to fully cooperate the robber fired gunshots into the
business and in the general direction of the clerk. Detectives continued collecting
evidence and identified behavior and mannerism characteristics of the robber by
watching many hours of closed circuit video, while also conducting surveillance of
likely robbery locations in which 36 TAPD Detectives and Officers compiled more than
320 hours of surveillance time at a cost of over $12,494 dollars to the city.
As the robberies continued, Detectives learned the suspect likely had access to several
different type cars based on the video camera footage. In one robbery a witness believed
she recognized the robbery suspect’s voice as that of a regular customer, Troy Ware.
She told a TTPD investigating detective, who relayed that information to Detective
Shane Kirkland, of TAPD. Detective Kirkland and Detective Wayne Easley later met
with Troy Ware at his used car lot at the corner of E 9th and N. State Line Ave.
Detectives Kirkland and Easley made several observations of note while there and later
learned of Ware’s prior involvement in four aggravated robberies in California, along
with several other felonies from the 70’s through the 90’s. Detectives sought and
received judicial approval for a search of Ware’s cell phone records which revealed
consistencies related to the date and times of each one of the fourteen robberies.
On one occasion, in December 2017, a TAPD officer conducting covert robbery
surveillance on a nearby liquor store, was sitting near Ware’s place of business when
Ware approached him to inquire of his presence. No further robberies were committed
following this interaction.
Prepared with these facts, Detective Shane Kirkland presented an arrest warrant
affidavit to Prosecuting Attorney, Stephanie Black’s office and to Circuit Judge Carlton
Jones, both of whom approved the affidavit and signed an arrest warrant for seven
counts of Aggravated Robbery. They also approved search warrants for Ware’s
residence and his business.
On Wednesday, 01/24/2018, TAPD Detectives arrested Troy Ware and charged him
with 7 counts of Aggravated Robbery after having to make forced entry into his home in
the 500 block of Orleans St., where he hid inside and refused to answer the door. At
Ware’s business, detectives located a firearm that matches that viewed from business
surveillance cameras and recovered a hidden mask, gloves and other garments
consistent with those worn in multiple robberies.
Throughout the investigation TAPD and TTPD Detectives corroborated information,
videos, reports, crime location maps, theory and anything else needed to bring an end to
these robberies.
Of the 14 reported incidents, the following occurred in Texarkana, Arkansas.
02/16/17 2200 North State Line Avenue – Bancorp South
04/22/17 402 East – Fast and Low
06/09/17 2324 North State Line Avenue – Exxon
10/24/17 1213 East 9th Street – Family Doller
10/26/17 914 North State Line Avenue – Texas Liquor
12/09/17 402 East – Fast and Low
12/12/17 1224 North State Line Avenue- Bottle Shop
TAPD commends every Detective and Officer who made contributions to this case and
congratulates them on their excellence and highest standard of police work.
Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at
http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.
After more than 40 years with commercial broadcasting, I decided to do my own thing by blogging, and taking "unconsultant" gigs. It affords me the ability to stay super involved in the community, but still, have plenty of time with my 3 granddaughters and other projects.
