He told police he witnessed a robbery, but surveillance video showed otherwise

An East Alton man who told police he witnessed a robbery he had actually committed was sentenced to prison.

Joshua L. Franklin, 19, pleaded guilty April 16 to a robbery at Wood River Convenient Market in August 2017, and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Within an hour of the crime, East Alton Police said a person matching the description of the suspect was in the lobby, wanting to report the Wood River robbery. Franklin told police he had witnessed the robbery.

Officers arrived in the lobby and arrested him. Wood River Deputy Chief Dan Blunt said in August that Franklin must not have realized how good the surveillance video the store had was. When police searched Franklin's home, they found clothing, money and a weapon. No one was hurt during the robbery.

Franklin's competency to stand trial was questioned, but he ultimately was found competent.

Kara Berg: 618-239-2626, @karaberg95

This story was originally published April 22, 2018 at 6:38 PM with the headline "He told police he witnessed a robbery, but surveillance video showed otherwise."