Florida Clerk Accused of Staging 'Michael Myers' Mask Robbery at Her Own Liquor Store

A Citrus County liquor store clerk told deputies she'd been robbed at gunpoint by a masked stranger, but investigators say the whole thing was staged, and the security cameras gave it away.

On Sept. 20, deputies responded to Citrus Liquors in Inverness, where 46-year-old clerk Renee Bedford had been working alone. Bedford told them a man in his 30s with a deep voice walked in wearing a mask styled after Michael Myers from the "Halloween" films, demanded cash, and displayed what she believed was a gun. She said she froze in fear and handed over money from the register before he fled. The store later determined $3,018 had been taken.

But surveillance footage told a different story. Detectives say Bedford could be seen laughing during the robbery, and the suspect's build and race didn't match the description she gave. Bedford had described the robber as a Black man, but the man on camera was white. Video also showed the robber arriving on a bicycle, ducking behind the store to change into dark clothing and the mask, then pedaling away on the same bike after the holdup.

After the sheriff's office shared surveillance images, an anonymous tip to Citrus County Crime Stoppers pointed investigators to 47-year-old Richard Lassiter. According to the arrest affidavit, Lassiter admitted to riding his mountain bike to the store, putting on the mask, and demanding money. He allegedly told detectives that Bedford had given him the idea, along with details on the store's cash deposit procedures and surveillance setup, including that the cameras didn't record audio. Detectives say they recovered most of the stolen money at his home.

When deputies returned to the store to interview Bedford again, she grew visibly nervous and denied any involvement in planning the robbery. She was arrested, and deputies say they found multiple plastic baggies containing drugs in her pocket.

Bedford was charged with principal to armed robbery, principal to grand theft, possession of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of paraphernalia. Lassiter was charged with robbery with a firearm and grand theft.

"The suspect's mask may have hidden his face, but our detectives quickly recognized the inconsistencies in this case and exposed an inside job disguised as a robbery," said Criminal Investigations Division Capt. Mat Baird.