SPRINGVILLE, Alabama - A blonde, ponytailed woman who police say robbed a Springville Dollar General earlier this week told authorities she needed the cash to spring her boyfriend from jail.

Kimberly Nicole Ford, 31, did post her boyfriend's bail just hours after the Monday robbery, Springville Police Chief Bill Lyle said today. The pair was headed to Mississippi, but instead was captured at a Livingston motel . "I can't make this up,'' Lyle said.

The robbery happened about 8:12 a.m. as the store was opening. Authorities said she was wearing overalls with black suspenders and a red top underneath. Though her hair was blonde, her roots were dark.

She looked around the store for a few minutes, and then told the cashier she had to go to her car to get her cell phone to make sure the part she wanted to buy for the phone was compatible with what she had. When she returned, the cashier was in the business office getting the money drawers to open the registers.

The robber went back to the business office, having added a black jacket to her outfit. She pulled the AR-15 from her pants and took hold of some cash drawers. She then forced the cashier to the register area, where she cleaned out the safes located there. About $550 was taken in the robbery.

When she fled the store, she took with her the business's cordless telephone, apparently the only phone in the entire shop, the police chief said. The cashier locked the door behind her and saw her flee in a white SUV-type vehicle.

Lyle said police quickly got tips on the woman's identity. "Early Tuesday, we got a pretty good lead on who it may be. We checked her pictures against some of our information,'' he said. The Dollar General cashier easily picked out Ford in a photo lineup, and a warrant was issued.

Investigators learned Ford was at a Livingston motel. St. Clair County sheriff's officials contacted Sumter County sheriff's deputies who took Ford into custody

Springville police detectives interviewed Ford in Livingston, and returned her to St. Clair County about 11 p.m. Tuesday. Lyle said Ford and her boyfriend had stopped at the motel en route to Mississippi. "They ran out of money, or they got tired. She really couldn't say,'' Lyle said. "Actually, they were working at the motel that morning to make some money."

Lyle said the boyfriend was returned to jail in Guntersville after it was determined his bond was made with stolen money.

"It worked out well,'' Lyle said. "We're tickled."