Snatch-and-grab suspect arrested

Historic City Media was notified by Sheriff’s Office Media Resource Officer Kevin Kelshaw that a 32-year old St. Johns County man was arrested on two counts of robbery by sudden snatching, one count of petit theft and four counts of violation of probation Wednesday afternoon.

The suspect, identified as William Edward Koenig, 32, 260 Old Village Center Cr., was booked into the St. Johns County Jail where he remains held without bond.

Koenig is charged with the snatch and grab theft of money from the cash register at CVS Pharmacy on S.R. 312 and the attempted theft of money at nearby Walgreens the same day.

The investigation began at 2:45 a.m. Monday morning at the CVS pharmacy. The 21-year old female clerk stated that a man approached her register and purchased a bottle of water. After paying for the water, the suspect allegedly leaned across the counter and removed and unknown amount of cash while the cash register was opened. The man fled out the door.

It was learned a short time later that a man matching the same description had entered the Walgreens on U.S. 1 and selected some merchandise prior to the first incident. The subject paid for the items and the 22-year old female manager gave him his change. The suspect then tried to reach across the counter when the clerk slammed the drawer closed on his fingers. He left without any cash in an unknown direction.

After the story was reported in the media the next day, detectives received information that identified Koenig as a possible suspect. A witness positively identified Koenig from a photo line-up. Koenig was brought in for questioning and then arrested.

Further investigation revealed that Koenig was arrested for a similar incident at the Walgreens, U.S. 1 South in May of 2006 and he was reportedly a suspect in two other snatch and grab robberies around the same time.

Koenig was convicted and served less than a year in the County Jail before being released in March 2007.

The latest arrest violates Koenig’s probation on those charges. The investigation is continuing.