Witnesses say armed teens robbed Dollar General Market in Cleveland County
UPDATE: On Thursday, authorities in Cleveland County announced that one of the juvenile suspects had been identified and charged with robbery.
Earlier
Sheriff’s deputies in Cleveland County are asking for help after two gunmen robbed a Dollar General Market.
That robbery happened at lunchtime Wednesday at the store in the town of Lawndale. It’s across the street from Burns High School.
Two of the clerks working at the time described the suspects as teenagers, saying they were both armed. They said they pointed guns at one of the clerks and demanded money. They told Faherty the suspects had much of their faces and hands covered.
Deputies say as a precaution, students at nearby Burns Middle and Burns High schools were required to stay in the classroom.
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Sheriff’s investigators released surveillance images of the suspects.
Channel 9′s Dave Faherty confirmed at least two clerks were working at the time. Three customers were inside the store when the robbery happened.
The witnesses said the suspects were in and out of the business in just a few minutes. Deputies say they only got a small amount of money from the register before running off from the business. They believe they had a car parked nearby.
Ben Leslie is the father of the clerk who was robbed. He was shopping at the store on Friday.
“She said she wasn’t scared. She just got mad,” he said. “No, I’m not worried about her working. You got to work.”
“It boils back down to [the suspects’] parents I guess,” said customer Wes Bollinger. “They always say a dog isn’t smarter than its owner.”
The sheriff told Faherty so far, no arrests have been made in the case. He also said deputies do patrol the businesses in the area.
Investigators have not worked a similar robbery in the area.
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