Three people charged in robberies in Roanoke Rapids now face charges in an October store heist in Weldon.
Weldon police Chief Christopher Davis said his department and the Roanoke Rapids Police Department worked in collaboration to file charges against Thomas Wayne Martin, Antericko Whitaker and a 16-year-old juvenile.
“Everything worked out well,” Davis said this morning. “Our departments have worked well together in the past and we will continue to work well together in the future.”
In a statement this morning Davis said investigators were able to obtain security video from several businesses in the area and identify a vehicle that was used during the robbery the next day. “In collaboration with investigators with the Roanoke Rapids Police Department, Sergeant L. Melton was able to obtain warrants on three subjects involved in this robbery.”
In the gallery: Martin, left, and Whitaker
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Warrants were obtained on Martin, 30, of Halifax, for conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and aid and abet robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Warrants were also obtained on Whitaker, 20, of Roanoke Rapids, for conspiracy to commit robbery.
A petition was obtained on the 16-year-old.
Martin received a $100,000 secured bond and Whitaker received a $25,000 secured bond. They both have November 18 court dates.
As of this report, both Martin and Whitaker remain confined at the Halifax County Detention Center.
The Weldon armed robbery occurred on October 12 shortly before 10:45 p.m., Davis said in an earlier statement.
Officers responded to a convenience store located in the 1600 block of Julian R. Allsbrook Highway. The suspects fled with an undisclosed amount of money.
Davis said in the statement, “The Weldon Police Department would like to thank the Roanoke Rapids Police Department for their assistance in identifying the individuals involved in this incident and all of my officers involved in the case that spent hours trying to identify these suspects.”
Four people were charged in the Roanoke Rapids robberies — one which occurred at the Old Farm Road New Dixie and the other at the Highway 125 New Dixie.
The first robbery occurred on October 26 at the Old Farm Road New Dixie Mart shortly after 11:30 p.m.
One person went inside the store to commit the robbery while a second person stood outside as a lookout.
The person who went inside the business brandished a black handgun and took an undisclosed amount of money.
Through the investigation, detectives identified the man standing watch as Kenneth Patterson, 30, of Roanoke Rapids, and identified the person who reportedly committed the robbery as the juvenile. Patterson, who remains in the detention center, was not charged in the Weldon robbery.
The firearm was identified as a BB gun.
Two days later, on October 28, the person who ended up being identified as the juvenile in the Old Farm Road robbery reportedly walked into the Highway 125 New Dixie Mart wearing a mask and went into the restroom where he pulled out a handgun.
The juvenile walked around the counter and brandished a black firearm.
He also reportedly pointed the firearm at a customer standing inside the store.
He then took an undisclosed amount of money and rolled coins.
The juvenile left the store on foot heading northwest.
The vehicle that carried the individual and dropped him off to commit the robbery was stopped by responding units.
Martin was identified as the driver and Whitaker was identified as a passenger.
