Arrest made in Roseville store robbery from last summer

Police say DNA from scene led them to suspect in Detroit

ROSEVILLE, Mich. – Roseville police said DNA helped lead to the arrest of a man in connection with a jewelry store robbery last year.

What happened on June 14, 2011

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Police said three armed men entered the Coin Cove Jewelry Co. on Gratiot Avenue, north of 10 Mile Road, just after 11 a.m. and ordered everyone inside to the ground by firing one shot into the ceiling. They said an armed employee of the store returned fire at the gunman as they fled the store.

That employee was owner Gene Christian.

Christian said he fired his .357 Magnum handgun at the men.

"Very very scary," Christian said. "He fired one round at me, missed. Then he ran in front and I fired one round at them and they fired about three or four more rounds."

No one was hit by the shots and nothing was taken from the store, police said.

Officers from Roseville, Eastpointe and St. Clair Shores did an immediate search of the area for the gunmen, but didn't find them.

Police said some clothing and a handgun were recovered.

The suspect

Police said DNA from a piece of clothing that was left at the scene identified one of the suspects as 31-year-old Robert Lateff Tillman.

He was arrested Thursday and charged with one count of assault with intent to rob while armed, one count of felony firearm and two counts of assault with intent to murder.

Police said he's currently on parole for other crimes.