Two Arrested in New Port Richey Armed Robbery

Two men were arrested in connection with an armed robbery in New Port Richey hours after the crime.

On Tuesday afternoon, a man entered the Quick King Tobacco store at 5051 U.S. 19 in New Port Richey, showed the clerk a handgun and demanded money, according to a New Port Richey Police detective’s arrest report.

The clerk gave the man money from the register.

The man was seen dashing through the passenger’s side window of a red car that left from behind Southgate Plaza. Police located a red Cadillac at a drug hangout on Southtowne Loop, according to the report.

Police found a Crossman Repeater pellet gun in the carport.

Police arrested Christopher Gowans Hall,26, of 8336 Emmons Road, New Port Richey, and Michael Keene, 31, of 3933 Saturn Drive, New Port Richey.

According to the report, Hall was the man who had walked into the store and demanded the money. The car he escaped into after the robbery was driven by Keen.

Hall said he did the robbery out of desperation of needing money to pay rent for himself and his father and that the clerk did not deserve it.

Hall and Keene were each charged with armed robbery with a deadly weapon.  The men were booked into Land O’ Lakes Jail with a $50,000 bail set for each person's armed robbery charge. Hall also faced charges related to writing a worthless check.