Published: June 27, 2008 11:16 pm         

Police: Robbery staged at video poker parlor

Beckley police say the woman who robbed a video poker parlor last month planned the crime with the business’ manager — even down to trapping employees in a closet.

Rosie June Stowers, 32, of East C Street, Beckley, was charged with first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony, Detective Sgt. David Allard said. Stowers turned herself in to police Friday and was arraigned before Raleigh County Magistrate Steve Massie. She was being held at Southern Regional Jail on $150,000 bond.

Police said a woman entered Lucy’s on May 16 and told employees she had a gun. She demanded all the money. The suspect then secured the two employees on duty inside a closet and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The employees managed to escape after they were trapped inside more than 30 minutes, police said.

Dolly Mae Linville, 32, of Saunders Avenue, Beckley, was arrested Thursday and charged with first-degree robbery, Allard said.

Allard said Stowers was the manager at Lucy’s when Linville robbed it and one of two employees on duty. Completely unbeknownst to the other woman on duty, Linville and Stowers had together planned what turned out to be a staged robbery just a few days before.

“They discussed all the details — even the part with putting people in the closet,” Allard said. “The other employee was just a totally innocent victim.”

Stowers and Linville are also relatives, and Linville worked at Lucy’s in 2005, Allard said.

Stowers was fired from Lucy’s the day of the robbery, but the reason was unknown, Allard said.

Although Linville has confessed to the robbery, Stowers has not, Allard said.

Linville told police she committed the robbery because of financial problems.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com