Daytona Beach, FL - A teenager who earlier this week claimed to have been robbed outside St. Paul's Basilica in Daytona Beach, fabricated the story, said Daytona Beach investigators.
According to the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD), upon further investigation by detectives, the victim from Ormond Beach came forward and confessed that the robbery did not occur. He actually lost his wallet.
The young man said he lied because he was grounded and did not want further punishment from his parent. He told investigators he regrets any bad press his story brought the church and wasting investigators' time.
The DBPD reports that, initially, he called the police on Sunday, March 26, claiming he had been robbed at gunpoint after he parked his car and began walking to the church at 317 Mullally Street. He said he walked all the way from the Flea Market and wanted to catch a late mass at St. Paul's.
The victim said a black man wearing a hoodie, black jeans and a black bandanna on his face, approached him from behind and ordered him to give up his wallet. He said that when he turned around the man pointed a gun at him, so he surrendered his wallet and the robber ran west on Mullally Street.
There was a 10- to 20-minute delay between the incident and when the victim actually called 911. The victim said he was "really shaken up ' from the incident and that was the reason for the delay in calling.
Police spent considerable time looking for a suspect, establishing a perimeter and deploying a K-9 unit.
At this time no charges will be filed against the young man.
Photo courtesy of Oliver Le Moal and Shutterstock.com.
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
