Police: Man tries to rob mall’s holiday train ride
Justice Lamar Walden
The Christmas kiddie train ride at Washington Crown Center
A man is in custody on charges he attempted to rob a clerk operating a Christmas kiddie train ride at a mall in North Franklin Township.
Township police arrested Justice Lamar Walden, 19, of 61 Burton Ave., Washington, shortly after receiving a report about 5 p.m. Saturday of an attempted robbery of a merchant at Washington Crown Center mall, court records state.
The train ride clerk said Walden first approached her that afternoon wanting her phone number. She gave him a fake number and he left, police stated in the affidavit supporting the criminal charges against Walden.
The clerk said an angry Walden, realizing she gave him a phony number, returned a short time later as she was putting money in the cash drawer at the ride.
Walden is accused of instructing her to place the $209 in the drawer in her hat, which was sitting nearby, and telling her to “slide it over to me.”
The clerk did not give him the money, and police said he began to yell obscenities, which alarmed shoppers at the mall.
Police responded to the mall and apprehended Walden.
Walden is charged with robbery and disorderly conduct. He is in Washington County jail on $25,000 bond set by District Judge Larry Hopkins.