The man in the CVS surveillance video is a vision in gauze, his face, arms and hands wrapped up like a half-dressed mummy.

But at a bond hearing in Broward Circuit Court on Wednesday, the judge saw an entirely different, and quite familiar, vision.

“Sir, you’re the shoeshine guy in front of the courthouse,” Broward County Judge John “Jay” Hurley told William Abrons.

Hurley addressed the courtroom: “I gotta tell you something. I get my shoes shined by Mr. Abrons once a week.”

Abrons, 50, is accused of attempting to shoot a cashier while robbing a CVS pharmacy in Lauderhill on Monday night. The cashier emerged unhurt; Abrons was arrested nearby the night of the robbery.

Abrons was familiar to Broward Sheriff’s Office Chief Scott Gooding, who commands security at the courthouse.

“I know that he was shining [shoes for] a lot of lawyers and people that use the courthouse,” Gooding said. He recalled seeing Abrons at work on his stand on the south side of Southeast Sixth Street, across the street from the courthouse.

At Wednesday’s hearing, Hurley gave Abrons – “a great guy,” the judge said – the opportunity to request a different judge. Abrons declined the offer.

According to a Lauderhill police affidavit, about 9:30 p.m. Monday, Abrons walked into the CVS at 5501 W. Oakland Park Blvd. with his face, arms and hands covered in gauze bandages.

Surveillance video showed a man with a bottle of hydrogen peroxide hobbling to the pharmacy counter at the back of the store as if he were about to make a purchase.

When the pharmacy technician opened the register, the robber pulled out a silver handgun, pointed it at her and demanded money, the affidavit said. She handed him some cash.

The man in gauze walked toward the front of the store and pointed his gun at a cashier’s head, demanding that she open the register. When the woman backed away from the register, the robber pulled the trigger several times, but the gun did not fire, the affidavit said.

As the wrapped-up robber ran from the store across West Oakland Park Boulevard and toward a self-service laundry, police said, he left behind a trail of cash.

Charles Moulten, manager of the Coin Laundry, said he was sitting in his pickup truck when he saw a man walk up and dump something into a trash can.

Moulten did not recall the man wearing any bandages.

“He looked like he was in a panic,” Moulten said Wednesday. “I thought he was trying to get rid of some drugs or something.”

The man walked into the laundry, took off his shirt, and stood in front of washer No. 39, Moulten said.

Moments later, a Lauderhill road patrol officer drove into the shopping center and Moulten said he pointed out the stranger in his store.

“He tried to blend in,” Moulten said.

Police said they found gauze bandages in an outdoor trash can and a silver, .22 caliber handgun inside a washing machine. Abrons later made a full confession to investigators during a videotaped interview, the affidavit said.

In court on Wednesday, the judge did a double-take after calling Abrons’ name.

“Mr. Abrons, I know from talking to you that you have had a tough life,” Hurley said. “I know you have had some tough things going on with your family.”

Abrons gave police the Broward Boulevard location of the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center as his permanent address. Staffers with the charity said they could not confirm that, citing client confidentiality.

The accusations apparently outweighed any congenial feelings the judge had for the man who talked about his life while buffing the judge’s shoes.

“I feel terrible that it has taken this turn,” Hurley said. “With a heavy heart, Mr. Abrons, I’m going to order that you be held without bond.”

Staff writer Ihosvani Rodriguez contributed to this report.

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