A man who made a 20-foot leap from a Roanoke Avenue rooftop in June is now wanted for an armed robbery of a business this afternoon in the 200 block.

Roanoke Rapids Police Chief Jeff Hinton said Ian Coles, 18, is considered armed and dangerous.

He allegedly entered F and F Rentals around 12:15 through the back door and attempted to rob the store’s two female employees. He used pepper spray on them and struck a 67-year-old female employee in the head with the shotgun he allegedly carried inside the business.

Hinton said Coles fled on foot with their purses and officers are searching for him.

He is wanted for two counts of armed robbery and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

The victims are still at an undisclosed hospital where they are being treated for their wounds.

Law enforcement is familiar with Coles, who in June led officers on a foot chase to the roof of an apartment building in the same block where today’s robbery occurred.

Coles made a 20 foot downward leap to the roof of another building.He was captured and jailed. He was wanted for a June 14 shooting into occupied property. Members of the department’s A squad received information he was hiding and located him at a downtown area apartment.

Officers searched the apartment and noticed an open window. The open window led officers to roof where Coles was running. When he came to the end of the building he jumped 20 feet down onto the roof of another building.
Officers pursued and caught him, charging him with communicating threats, escape from custody and discharging a weapon into occupied property.

Coles was also arrested in a purse snatching that occurred in the parking lot of the downtown Food Lion last year.  He was charged with aid and abet robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of stolen property.