SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah, June 9, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Police arrested a man after he allegedly tried to rob a Sinclair station by taking food items after his payment card was declined, according to a probable cause statement filed in Third District Court.
Rufus Fofie Rogers, 27, was arrested Saturday by South Salt Lake police for investigation of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, and criminal trespass, notice against entry, a class B misdemeanor.
The Sinclair station had previously posted a notice that banned Rogers from store due to alleged theft problems in the past.
Police were dispatched to the Sinclair, at 880 W. 3300 South, at 11:13 p.m. Saturday, the affidavit says.
“While en route to the location, dispatch told me the victim reported Rufus Rogers had a rock in his hand and was attacking employees and stealing from the location,” the affidavit says.
Rogers began to fight with a store clerk tried to retrieve the items for which his payment was declined.
Rogers reportedly grabbed a large rock from the landscape area outside the store and threatened to hit the clerk with it not if he did not “give Rufus the food.”
Rogers allegedly ate items without leaving the store. A second victim told police Rogers had pushed him and also had threatened to hit him with the large rock.
“Rufus excitedly uttered he told the clerk he would smash his head with a rock,” Rogers’ arrest documents say. “Rufus further excitedly uttered he ate a hotdog and corndog and didn’t even pay for it.
“Rufus had just been released from jail about an hour prior to this incident. Rufus had been trespassed from the location during a burglary for which he was just released from jail. Rufus has been convicted of theft three times in the past year.”
