By John Howell Sr.

Panola County law enforcement officials are seeking information that will lead to the arrest of a man who robbed a homeowner at gunpoint at 404 Juanita Street in Sardis April 30.

Panola County Sheriff’s Dept. Crime Stoppers coordinator Carlton Hayes said that a cash reward is available to someone who provides information — without giving his or her name — that leads to the arrest.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers of North Central Mississippi at 800-729-2169 to start the steps that can lead to cash.

Clarence Edwards pulled into his drive at the Juanita Street address shortly before 11 p.m. that Monday night and was gathering articles in the car to take inside when a man walked up to his car window, pointed a chrome .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun at Edwards’ facing and demanded his wallet, according to a report by Sardis Police Chief John Deal and officer Otis Jones.

Edwards handed over his wallet and the robber ran east on Juanita Street into the night. When officers arrived, they determined that the suspect was a black male who had a “low” hair cut, according to Deal’s report, and was possibly wearing a baseball camp. He may also have been wearing a white tee-shirt.

The officers also determined that a white Chevrolet Impala of either 2003 or 2005 vintage was driving slowly on Juanita and nearby Clairmont Street during the time that the robbery occurred, according to the report.

March burglary

Crime Stoppers has also focused on the March 12 business burglary of Jessie Stitcher’s shop at 105 Sycamore St. in Sardis, Hayes said.

Officer Jones drove by the address about 3 p.m. that Monday afternoon and noticed a man who ran into Stitcher’s shop at the end of the driveway. When Jones backed up, he noticed a second man on the passenger side of a vehicle with its door open. The man was putting items into the back seat, according to Jones’ report. The officer watched as the other man also placed items on the vehicle’s back seat.

“When eye contact was made, both subject(s) pushed the doors closed on the side that they was standing and ran southeast …” the report continues.

Though the report names the subjects, officers need additional information to file charges, Hayes said.

That additional information could bring a cash reward. Anyone with information should call the Crimestoppers number, 800-729-2169. Callers will not be identified nor will anyone ask their names.

They remain anonymous, Hayes said.