A man has been charged in connection with a recent robbery outside an East Ridge business.
On Wednesday, police responded to a report that a woman had been robbed at Tennessee Title Loans and Security Finance located at 5519 Ringgold Road.
According to a police report, a black male with purple-colored dreads tackled the victim as she exited the business, taking money, checkbooks and other personal items. She received minor cuts and abrasions during the assault and subsequent struggle for possession of her purse. The suspect fled the scene and was seen running to a vehicle parked within an adjacent parking lot.
During the investigation, surveillance video yielded detailed suspect and vehicle descriptions, according to a news release from the East Ridge Police Department. Police then circulated an image of the suspect on social media.
On Saturday, investigators received a tip from an original witness at the title loan business who indicated that a family member had found a Facebook profile matching the suspect's description and identified him as Antwone Boykin. Although the Facebook profile had not shown any indications of colored braids/dreadlocks, the witness was confident in the identification, according to the news release. Investigators viewed the profile and subsequently searched law enforcement databases to corroborate the information and gain potential intelligence.
Police said a database search for Antwone Clevon Boykin showed an updated photograph taken on April 24, just nine days prior to the incident. The photograph revealed that Boykin now had distinctive pink/purple tips on his braided/dreadlocked hair. The search also found a current address for Boykin.
Later Saturday, investigators drove by the listed address in hopes of gaining additional intelligence. As investigators passed the home on Henderson Drive, they recognized the white-colored vehicle backed into the driveway. The vehicle was an exact match of the one described by witnesses and previously observed on related video surveillance footage - it was missing the left front fender and hubcap.
On Monday, investigators presented witnesses with a grayscale five-photo lineup, which included the suspect and four additional and unassociated individuals. To maintain additional integrity, the photo lineups were individually presented to all three witnesses within a back room at the business. All three witnesses immediately identified Boykin as the suspect.
Warrants were issued for Boykin's arrest on charges of robbery, assault and driving without a license.
At about 4 p.m. Monday, investigators with the East Ridge Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, Chattanooga Police Department and Tennessee Department of Corrections arrested Boykin.
Recovered during the arrest were the vehicle driven by Boykin and clothing worn during commission of the offense.
Boykin was transported to the Hamilton County Jail on an $8,500 bond. He is set to appear in East Ridge Municipal Court on May 16.