Arrest Made in Attempted Robbery at Subway Restaurant

A man, wanted by U.S. Marshals in an Arlington, Virginia bank robbery parole/probation violation was arrested by Smithville Police Friday afternoon, after allegedly attempting to commit a robbery at the Subway Restaurant in Smithville.

Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger said 26 year old Justin Robb, who has a Byrdstown address, is charged with aggravated robbery and his bond is set at $75,000. He is being held without bond on the parole/probation violation.

According to Smithville Police Officer Travis Bryant, Robb entered the Subway restaurant building through a back entrance, used only by employees. He then came through the stock room and into the restaurant behind the counter.

The only employee on duty at the time, who was in front of the counter doing some cleaning, saw Robb standing near the cash register and asked if she could help him, or words to that effect.

Officer Bryant said Robb told her "you know what I want" and warned her that he had a weapon, although he never displayed any weapon. He then kicked open the door to the safe, which was setting on the floor behind the counter. But, according to Officer Bryant, Robb left without taking anything from the safe or the cash register, making his exit through the rear of the building where he had entered. No one was injured.

The restaurant employee ran to the front of the adjoining Kwik-N-Ezy market and had the store clerk there call 911. Central dispatch alerted officers in the area at 3:07 p.m. to be on the lookout for the suspect.

Brandon Donnell, a DeKalb County Sheriff's Deputy, was patroling in the area and spotted a man fitting the description of the suspect walking through the parking lot of the Kwik-N-Ezy. Officer Donnell drove up, got out of his cruiser, and detained the man until other officers arrived.

Robb was taken into custody by Smithville Police Officer Scott Davis and Deputy Donnell. Robb was subsequently questioned about the incident and charged in the case.

Robb is currently being held in the DeKalb County Jail.

Chief Caplinger said Robb has been very tightlipped, not disclosing much information about himself or why he was in Smithville. Officers could not find any vehicle in the area belonging to him.

DeKalb Jobless Rate Increases to 9.3% in November

DeKalb County's unemployment rate for November increased to 9.3%, up from the October rate of 8.9% but well below the jobless rate of 10.7% in November, 2009.

The labor force in DeKalb County for November was 9,770. A total of 8,870 were employed and 910 were unemployed.

DeKalb County's jobless rate for the month was third lowest in the fourteen county Upper Cumberland region. Here's how they rank from highest to lowest:

Pickett County-15.5%
Clay- 12.2%
White-12%
Fentress- 11.1%
Warren- 11%
Van Buren 10.8%
Jackson- 10.3%
Cumberland- 10.3%
Cannon- 10.1%
Overton 9.9%
Macon 9.6%
DeKalb- 9.3%
Putnam 8.7%
Smith- 8.1%

Meanwhile, Tennessee's unemployment rate for November was 9.4 percent, unchanged from the October rate. The national unemployment rate for November 2010 was 9.8 percent, up two-tenths of a percentage point from the October rate.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for November 2010, released today, show that the rate increased in 85 counties, decreased in eight counties and remained the same in two counties.

Lincoln County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 6.3 percent, up from the October rate of 6.0 percent. Scott County had the state's highest unemployment rate at 19.9 percent, up from 18.9 percent in the previous month, followed by Marshall County at 16.2 percent, up from the October rate of 15.4 percent.

Knox County had the state's lowest major metropolitan rate of 7.2 percent, up from 7.0 percent in October. Hamilton County was 8.1 percent, up from 7.8 percent the previous month. Davidson County was 8.7 percent, unchanged from the previous month, and Shelby County was 9.9 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from October.