Businesses near Lucky Charms Arcade told Action News Jax there have been a number of incidents at the internet café before the robbery that lead to a kidnapping and car chase that injured two Jacksonville officers and an 84-year-old man.
That's where JSO says Wednesday's robbery happened involving suspect Lawrence Hall III.
Hall is accused of stealing a car and kidnapping an elderly man, after holding up the people inside the arcade and stealing money.
Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole spent Thursday speaking to owners of businesses at the strip mall. One of them told her they don’t have plans to renew their lease.
MORE: Timeline of events from robbery, kidnapping, auto theft that left two Jacksonville officers injured | 84-year-old kidnapping victim suffers 'extreme' injuries, family asks for prayers
“It's sad to see something like this happening. You know, it's just ...I didn't expect that,” William Pough said.
Pough works at Platinum Cutts II Barbershop on Mayport Road— just a few doors down from the Lucky Charms Arcade robbed Wednesday.
Pough told Cole he has been working at the shop for about five years.
"Everybody knows each other down here. It's like family. Everybody's close. We always come and talk to each other, “ Pough said.
The barber said he has heard about a few prior incidents at the internet cafe...before Wednesday’s incident.
“I've heard of a couple of times it's actually been held up, but I don't know how the situation turned out,” Pough told Cole.
Pough said the shop has been in the strip mall for more than 15 years and their clients won't be afraid to come back.
“The first thing they did when they heard about the incident—our phones blew up. Everybody was calling up here to make sure we're OK,” Pough said.
Cole requested the calls of service from JSO. At the time this article is being written, she has not yet received them.
Cole used the JSO Crimemapping tool for the area and discovered 67 incidents involving theft, burglary, car theft and robbery have happened within a one mile radius of the arcade—from July 7, 2018 through Wednesday.
Action News Jax first reported in September 2018 that police have received more than 28,000 calls to addresses tied to nearly 100 internet cafes over the last five years.
Cole requested calls of service Thursday, specifically for Lucky Charms Arcade.
She has not yet received them from JSO.
Last fall, JSO told Action News Jax there had been 30 robberies in internet cafes in 2018 alone—and 32 burglaries.
Councilman Al Ferraro proposed a six-month moratorium that passed last year to stop new internet cafes.
Cole followed up with him as well to learn what steps he believes should be taken next.
She’s waiting to hear back.
Action News Jax reported in 2017, that Lake City ordered all of their internet cafes to close.
Lucky Charms Arcade was issued a permit by the City of Jacksonville on October 30, 2018.