Brookhaven police arrested a suspect duringthe holiday weekend in connection with a string of recent gasstation robberies, but Lincoln County law enforcement saw a quietNew Years weekend.

    Robert Collins Jr., 23, of 675 East Chickasaw St., was arrestedaround 2:10 a.m. Sunday and charged with attempted armed robbery,possession of marijuana and resisting arrest, said BrookhavenPolice Chief Pap Henderson.

    Henderson said police arrested Collins following an attempted armedrobbery at the Cracker Barrel convenience store on Highway 51north.

    Further charges will be filed today against Collins, the chiefsaid.

    Police believe him a participant in a recent spree of gas stationrobberies. Henderson said in total, Collins is thought to haveparticipated in four armed robberies and two attempts.

    Henderson said the recent armed robberies were the focus of hisweekend, and he is pleased to have made an arrest in the case.

    Sunday’s strike at the Highway 51 North Cracker Barrel was a repeatrobbery attempt. The first in the recent robbery spree occurredDec. 19 at the same convenience store.

    There were also two robberies of the Brookway Boulevard Blue Skyand a single reported robbery at Handy Mart – Number 3 on BrookwayBoulevard.

    Austin P. Jackson, 18, of 2442 Whitewater Avenue, Bogue Chitto, wasalso arrested over suspected involvement in the robberies. However,Henderson said charges against Jackson will likely bedismissed.

    The New Year’s weekend also saw a number of shoplifting arrests inthe city.

    “It’s a year round thing with shoplifters, but it does pick upduring holidays,” Henderson said.

    Henderson said the department also received a number of callsrelated to fireworks within the city, a normal New Year’scomplaint.

    “At midnight you’ve got a 10- or 15-minute barrage,” Hendersonsaid.

    Overall, Henderson was pleased with his department’s performanceover the weekend.

    “My guys did an outstanding job,” Henderson said. “They worked somelong hours.”

    Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing reported a quiet weekend forhis department.

    “No major problems aside from a couple minor accidents,” Rushingsaid.

    Rushing said the number of incidents over a holiday weekend variesgreatly, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary this NewYear’s.

    A holiday weekend report released by the Mississippi Highway Patrolindicates that from 6 p.m. Friday through midnight Sunday, MHPTroop M recorded nine DUI arrests, two drug arrests and sevencollisions.

    Troop M did not respond to any fatal accidents.

    Statewide, MHP investigated 104 collisions, three of themfatal.

    Troop M Public Relations Officer Rusty Boyd was could not bereached for comment.