Store Robbery Suspected to be Inside Job

Bound and gagged, an Athens Dollar General store manager frantically calls 9-1-1 to say the store has just been robbed at gunpoint: 72 hours later, police say that manager was part of the crime.

Moments after Lacy Gossett calls 911 to report her store was robbed early Saturday morning, surveillance video captures a person running out of the store with a bag of cash, removing his shirt, and hopping into a white four door sedan.

Detectives interview Gossett who told them she unlocked the door, and a person came in with a gun, forced her to the back of the store, and duct taped her to a shelf. But as Gossett's story continued, Athens police began unraveling more and more inconsistencies. When they questioned Gossett Monday, police say she admitted she made the whole story up.

"Originally she said she had to pull the shelf away, kick a phone out from under the register and then dial 9-1-1 with her nose," says Detective Scott Webb. After receiving the 911 call, detectives arrived at the store and found Gossett had urinated on herself. She told them it was out of fear. Police say she later admitted she did it for effect.

"We determined it was all a false report," Webb says. When asked if it was a hoax, Webb replies: "Yes, it's very much a hoax."

Webb says Gossett not only knew the 17-year-old who allegedly robbed the store, and Buddy Moore, who's believed to be behind the wheel of a getaway car, but police say she also knew in advance that the crime was going to happen.

Lacy Gossett, the 17 year old seen on the video, and Buddy Moore are all charged with filing a false report, and theft over $1,000.
Gossett and the teen are in custody. Moore is still on the run.

"They left a lot of things uncovered that should have been covered up," Webb says. "People think they can make up any story and we'll believe it."