Release from Winter Haven Police Department
“A nineteen-year-old facing felony Robbery charge after using a firearm to rob a smoke shop.
On Sept. 12, 2023 at approximately 3:16 p.m., 19 year-old Cervonte Omar Griffin (DOB 10-19-04, redacted) entered The Smoke Shop located at 211 Central Ave. E in Winter Haven. He approached the two owners inside of the store brandishing a firearm demanding, “Put all the stuff in the bag.” One of the victims told Griffin “no” at which time Griffin reached behind the counter taking multiple boxes of Vape Cartridges valued at approximately $1,000. Griffin started walking away, but then walked back towards the victims with the firearm in his hand advising the victims to “go back go back” and he left the store.
Winter Haven Police used images taken from store video helped to identify Griffin as a Winter Haven High School student. A positive identification was made and Griffin was taken into custody. Griffin was also identified as the suspect who grabbed 10 boxes of Elf Vape Pens valued at $600 from the same store on July 10, 2023.
Griffin was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with one count of Robbery With a Firearm (FL) for the Sept. 12 incident and one count of Petit Theft (M1) for the July 10 incident.”
