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LINCOLNTON, N.C. – Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office detectives will pursue charges of robbery with a dangerous weapon and kidnapping through the Department of Juvenile Justice on two juvenile suspects in the March 25, 2024 armed robbery of the Dollar General store at 8681 N NC Highway 10 in Vale, NC.

On March 25, 2024 Adam District deputies were dispatched to the Dollar General concerning an armed robbery.  During the investigation at the scene, officers learned that two males entered the store with firearms and forced the employees to open the cash registers.  While one of the suspects held the employees and at least one customer at gunpoint, the other suspect emptied the cash registers.  The suspects then fled the scene on foot to a vehicle waiting at another location.

While on the scene detectives learned that a Dollar General in Gaston County had been robbed in the same fashion and a Dollar General in Cleveland County had been robbed a few days earlier. 

Lincoln County Sheriff’s detectives worked local leads as well as leads in Gaston and Cleveland Counties to identify the individuals involved.   Over a two-day period detectives with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Gastonia Police Department, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and Shelby Police Department were able to identify multiple suspects and the vehicle used in all three robberies.

On March 26, 2024, Detectives with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and Shelby Police located two juvenile suspects who live within the city limits of Shelby.  One juvenile was taken into custody by Cleveland County detectives and transferred to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.  The other juvenile was interviewed and released to a parent.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office detectives are also trying to identify the owner of a vehicle involved in all three robberies.  The vehicle is described as black in color 2020-2021 Ford Edge. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Lincoln County Sheriff’s Detective D. Hendrix at 828-455-6762, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050, the Lincoln County Communications Center at 704-735-8202 or the Lincolnton/Lincoln County CrimeStoppers at 704-736-8909.

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