Cape Coral man accused of robbing store by mimicking gun under blanket

A Cape Coral man has been arrested for allegedly robbing an alcohol store by mimicking the he had a firearm under a blanket.

On Jan. 2, Cape Coral police responded to a reported burglary at In and Out Beverage on Del Prado Boulevard South.

A man, later identified as 51-year-old Alain Alvarez Rodriguez, allegedly entered the store with a blanket-covered hand and created a perceived threat of an armed robbery. 

The store clerk, fearing the robber had a gun under the blanket, promptly contacted the police.

Rodriguez, who fled on foot, was apprehended nearby. 

Officers responding subdued the man with a Taser to gain compliance. Rodriguez was later determined to have used a phone or wallet, not a weapon, under the blanket.

Rodriguez faces charges of robbery without a deadly weapon and resisting an officer without violence. 

Mercedes Phillips, a spokesperson for CCPD, explained that the store clerk felt threatened, leading Cape police to treat it as a robbery, regardless of the presence of a gun. 

She said officers prioritized the safety of everyone on the scene by using a Taser for compliance. 

Phillips emphasized the need for precautions in potentially dangerous situations and highlighted the importance of treating potential threats seriously until confirmed otherwise.