Former Danville Food Lion employee pleads guilty to robbing store at gunpoint

A former Danville Food Lion employee has pleaded guilty to pulling a gun on a Food Lion cashier in the same store he previously worked at and robbing it of more than $1,200 in cash, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. (Danville Police Department)

DANVILLE, Va. – A former Danville Food Lion employee has pleaded guilty to pulling a gun on a Food Lion cashier in the same store he previously worked at and robbing it of more than $1,200 in cash, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Authorities said 30-year-old Christopher Rashard Harris pled guilty to one count of Hobss Act Robbery.

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Court documents reveal that on June 28, 2023, Harris entered the Food Lion grocery store where he was previously employed, placed two bags of Cheetos on the counter and gave the cashier a $1 bill and some change. Once the cashier opened the register, Harris then proceeded to pull out a firearm and point it at the cashier, telling them to “back the fu*k up,” according to the Department of Justice.

Following this, the cashier put his hands up and backed away from the register while Harris grabbed the entire cash drawer and ran out of the store. Authorities said it had approximately $1,217 in it.

On July 6, 2023, Harris was arrested after confessing to robbing the store and providing a description of where he had abandoned the cash drawer, which law enforcement later recovered.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

U.S. Department of Justice

About the Author

Jazmine Otey joined the 10 News team in February 2021.

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