False robbery report results in massive police response, arrest

Photo: Police and Sheriff’s Department squad cars block a street entrance into the Dickens Place subdivision during the investigation. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

A Southaven subdivision was basically put into lockdown Monday afternoon as police sought to find an armed robber, only to find the person making the call apparently made the whole thing up. 

Police were called shortly after 2:45 p.m. on Monday, July 3 on a report of an armed robbery in the area of Dickens Place near Liverpool, west of Getwell Road.  

The person making the report told police of a robbery at gunpoint with the suspect leaving on foot. 

That started a huge search of the subdivision as police tried to find the suspect. Entrances into the subdivision off Getwell were seen to have officers or DeSoto County deputies preventing anyone from getting into the area and a staging area for law enforcement was set up in the parking lot of DeSoto Hills Baptist Church if needed. 

There were also reports that residents were told to stay indoors as law enforcement combed the area.  

The case took a turn, however, when it was determined the victim had actually fabricated the entire incident. That has resulted in an arrest and a charge of filing a false report.  Police said additional charges are pending. The person being charged as yet has not been identified.