A repeat offender. Authorities say a Lancaster woman is facing charges for armed robbery after a crime spree. We’re told the suspect was out on bond when she allegedly committed these latest crimes. CN2’s Alexandria Savage spent the day in Lancaster where the woman is now behind bars.
Here’s the official press release from the Lancaster Co. Sheriff’s Office:
Jessica Medlin Talford, age 25, of Lancaster, was arrested last night, Monday, April 2, 2018, after deputies of the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to almost simultaneous armed robbery calls. At 10:25 p. m. a deputy was dispatched to a robbery at Lloyd’s @ 200 at 650 Monroe Highway. As he responded dispatch sent another deputy to the Lancaster Inn at 1391 Charlotte Highway for a report of an attempted armed robbery. The clerk at Lloyd’s was alone in the store when a white female dressed in black entered the store and demanded money. The robber had one of her hands covered and appeared to be holding a handgun. The robber left the store with cash and drove away in a maroon sedan. The owner of the Lancaster Inn told the responding deputy a white female came into the business twice. The first time she knocked on the window in the lobby and abruptly left. She soon came back in with part of her face covered, pointed an object in her hand covered with black fabric at him, and demanded all the money. The owner refused and told her he was calling the police. Surveillance video from the Lancaster Inn showed a white female in a black dress driving a maroon four-door sedan.
Shortly before midnight the deputy who answered the Lloyd’s call was patrolling and searching for the car and spotted a maroon Chrysler Sebring in the parking lot of Crenco at 700 South Main Street in the City of Lancaster. Talford, wearing a black dress, was behind the wheel of the car and was detained. A female passenger who had not been involved in the robberies was released. Talford and the car were searched, and no firearm was found. Talford had a small amount of cash and what is described as a crack pipe concealed in her clothing. Another black dress and a screwdriver were found in the car. Talford’s person and clothing and her car matched the subject and the car shown in the Lancaster Inn video. Talford was taken to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office for questioning before being transported to the Lancaster County Detention Center. She is charged with one count of Armed Robbery (Lloyd’s), one count of Attempted Armed Robbery (Lancaster Inn), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Talford has not yet appeared before a magistrate for bond. A photograph of Talford is attached.
As these events were occurring, the Lancaster Police Department was investigating a similar incident at Westgate Exxon on West Meeting Street in the city. Officers and investigators from the sheriff’s office and the police department worked together last night and into this morning to identify and locate Talford. Please contact the Lancaster Police Department for information concerning the Westgate Exxon case. Talford (then Jessica Luann Medlin) was charged by the sheriff’s office with Armed Robbery for a similar incident that occurred at Twin Pines Convenience Store and Grill on December 11, 2017.
Sheriff Barry Faile said, “It is a good thing we found Talford soon after these robberies occurred. It is anybody’s guess how many other businesses she might have visited had she not been arrested so quickly. We are glad no one was injured. I appreciate the assistance we got from the Lancaster Police Department. Our mutual help allowed both agencies to close three robberies in short order.”
Anyone with information about this or any other case should call the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office at 803-283-3388 or contact Midlands Crimestoppers in one of the following ways: dial 888-CRIME-SC (888-274-6372), log onto www.midlandscrimestoppers.com and click on the “Submit a Tip” tab, or download the P3 Tips App for Apple or Android devices.
