NEW CASTLE, Ind. -- A man was in jail Wednesday night after he turned himself in for robbing a New Castle convenience store.
Until Friday, Alan Melton had never committed a crime. He says his conscience got the better of him.
"I knew I done wrong 'cause I was raised to believe that was wrong, and I knew it was when I did it, but I was overwhelmed and made a bad decision," Melton said.
On Friday, Melton entered a New Castle convenience store where he was a regular customer. Laid off from his job of 15 years, he started a lawn mowing business – but he says the last few months have been lean, and bills were mounting. So he donned a ski mask and entered the store with a pistol.
Melton robbed the store of just over $800. He then bought groceries, gasoline and made a $200 payment to a funeral home following the death of his stepson.
"I've always said that I hate a thief more than anything else, but I felt drive to that point," he said.
Henry County Sherrif Rick McCorkle said he's never had anyone turn themselves in for armed robbery.
"I've had guys, men and women, say that I know there's a warrant, I want to turn myself in," he said. "But I've never had anyone come in and say that I want to confess to an armed robbery."
Melton says upon his release he plans to repay the owners of the convenience store.
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