Darth Vader's Armed Invasion Foiled By State Trooper

CARROLLWOOD, FL — An armed robber wearing a Darth Vader mask learned who really has "The Force" in Hillsborough County.

According to the Hillsborough County Sherff's Office, three men, one wearing a Star Wars Darth Vader mask, held up a 7-Eleven on North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa at 5 a.m. Dec. 14.

The men forced the store clerk to give them money and tobacco products, then took the clerk's wallet.

Shortly before 8 a.m. the same day, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a green Jeep Cherokee for a traffic violation at Interstate 75 and Fletcher Avenue. Through the course of the traffic stop, Kaylob Davis, 22, Eddrick Wright, 24, and Amere Benjamin, 21, all of Auburndale, were implicated in the robbery of the 7-Eleven as well as another store in Pasco County, according to the sheriff's office.

Sheriff's deputies recovered cash, tobacco products, lottery tickets, firearms and the Darth Vader mask.

All three men remain behind bars on multiple charges including seven counts third-degree grand theft, possession of burglary tools, aggravated assault, felon in possession of a firearm, false imprisonment. reckless driving, possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.

Davis' bond is set at $544,750; Wright's at $531,500; and Benjamin's at $529,750.