WESTOVER — Westover police arrested and charged the suspect in an attempted armed robbery at Paula’s Hot Spot in Westover.
Jennifer June Downey, 36, of Morgantown, is charged with attempted robbery. If convicted she faces not less than 10 years in prison.
While on patrol Saturday a Westover police officer saw a woman near the Circle K on Holland Avenue who identically matched the description of the suspect in the armed robbery attempt at Paula’s Hot Spot on Dec. 16, according to a criminal complaint.
The complaint stated the woman was wearing the same style boots, pants, jacket, had the same hair style and color, matched the physical build and had the same color and design of purse as the suspect. The officer confirmed this after comparing the woman to pictures of security footage from the robbery.
After making contact with the woman, she “immediately became very emotional” and started confessing to the attempted robbery at Paula’s, the complaint stated.
The officer stopped her and read the Miranda rights to her and identified her as Downey. She then continued to tell the officer, in detail, about what happened the night of the attempted robbery, the complaint said.
Downey also had the knife she used that night in her handbag.
She was arrested and taken to the police station where she provided a written statement, the complaint stated.
Downey was booked into North Central Regional Jail on Sunday in lieu of $25,000 bond. As of Wednesday afternoon, she remained in jail.
