A manager of a Papa John's pizza business who called 911 to report that he'd been robbed of $1,300 at knifepoint Saturday was arrested after deputies say he stole the money himself and made up the story.

Deputies say Papa John's shift manager made phony robbery call

Justin Miller, 24, booked into Volusia County Branch Jail

Search for 'robber' included helicopter, more than 12 law-enforcement officers

Volusia County deputies say that Justin Miller's 911 call prompted a 40-minute search for a fleeing suspect that included more than a dozen Sheriff's Office deputies and DeLand Police officers, a K-9 unit and Sheriff's Office helicopter.

Deputies said that just after 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, they received a 911 call from Miller: "I'm the manager up here at Papa John's, and I was just robbed."

Miller, 24, said he was closing the business at 1129 N. Woodland Blvd. in DeLand and was out back stacking trays when someone came up behind him, stuck a pocket knife in his back and demanded money. Miller denied getting a good look at the robber and didn't hear much because he said he was wearing headphones at the time.

He provided a vague description of a robber to dispatchers — “I couldn’t really tell. It looked like he was wearing all black clothes — maybe a hoodie, and a ball cap. I couldn’t see his face” — and told them he turned over two deposit bags with $1,332 inside, deputies said.

But when no sign of a robber was found, and deputies thought Miller was being deceptive, they said he admitted that he'd lied and led them to where he'd hidden the money.

Miller faces charges of grand theft and making a false crime report. He was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach on $3,500 bond.

