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FROM STAFF REPORTS

COLUMBIANA — George Charles Harris was sentenced to 20 years in prison following a Feb. 23 guilty plea in connection with a robbery at Walmart on U.S. 280.

Harris pleaded guilty to robbery first-degree and was sentenced to 20 years in the Alabama Department of Corrections by Circuit Judge Lara M. Alvis. Lt. Clint Blackmon of the Hoover Police Department investigated the case.

“The Hoover Police Department did an excellent job investigating this case and we are thankful for the outcome,” said District Attorney Jill Lee.

In May 2017, a female employee of the Walmart store on U.S. 280 was walking to her car after her shift. As soon as she opened her car door and threw her purse in, the defendant, Harris, was standing there demanding a car ride.

When she replied, “No!”, Harris stuck his hand in his pocket and replied, “If you don’t give me a ride, I’ll shoot you!”

Harris then pushed the victim into the driver’s seat of the vehicle, unlocked the backseat door and got in the car. He then instructed her to stop by an ATM on the way to downtown Birmingham.

Thankfully, the victim was able to convince the defendant to let her go back into the store in order to get money from her employer. When she returned inside the store, law enforcement was contacted by store employees.

“Thanks to the courageous and quick thinking of the victim, this defendant was quickly apprehended and brought to justice. Her strength is amazing,” said Assistant District Attorney Gregg Lowrey.