Crime & Courts

Man suspected of robbing Lake Norman Dollar Tree found in Virginia, police say

A man charged in the robbery of this Lake Norman Dollar Tree is under investigation in a string of other Dollar Tree holdups, police said.
A man charged in the robbery of this Lake Norman Dollar Tree is under investigation in a string of other Dollar Tree holdups, police said. jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

In the Virginia mountains Wednesday, Jan. 7, U.S. Marshals apprehended a 62-year-old Rowan County man suspected of robbing a Lake Norman Dollar Tree store and possibly ones in nearby towns recently, police said.

The man was caught four days after a robber approached employees in the Dollar Tree at 221-R Norman Station Blvd., flashed a handgun and ordered the workers to give him all the cash in a safe, Mooresville police said on social media, citing surveillance footage.

“Once the suspect had the money, he took the store’s phone and left the store,” according to a Mooresville Police Department news release. The suspect drove away in a dark Honda sedan, police said.

Through further investigation, police said they identified a suspect who was arrested without incident in Bristol, Virginia, 180 miles from Mooresville.

The China Grove man was jailed without bond pending extradition to Mooresville. He was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon, police said.

“More charges are forthcoming from Mooresville Police Department, as well as surrounding jurisdictions,” police said.

Mooresville police thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and police in Bristol for helping apprehend the man.

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Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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