In the last week, a Laurinburg man, a Maxton man, and three others were charged in a series of pawn shop larcenies in Scotland and Robeson counties, according to authorities.
On March 24, Laurinburg police officers responded to Ned’s Pawn Shop on South Main Street after someone tried to drive a car through the front door of the business. A break-in in the same manner occurred at Carolina Pawn on Highway 401 shortly after.
“Video was reviewed at both businesses and sent to surrounding counties for identifying the suspect and suspect vehicle,” said Lt. Cliff Sessoms of the Laurinburg Police Department.
On March 25, a Wagram gun store was also broken into, and a subsequent larceny on Thursday at Bryant’s Gun and Pawn in Lumberton was connected to the same suspects. The following chase by Lumberton police resulted in five arrests, despite the suspects’ best efforts.
“They broke into one pawn shop and the alarm went off, so they did a drive-by at Lumberton Ford and shot at the windows to try to set the alarm off to create a distraction,” said Lt. Jon Edwards of the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office.
On Thursday, Cedric Locklear, 22, Brandon Carter, 31, and Robert Barnes, 28, all of Rowland, Terry Lowery, 24, of Laurinburg, and John Lewis, 20, of Maxton were arrested for involvement in the Wagram and Lumberton break-ins. They were each charged with one felony count of breaking and entering and one felony count of larceny after breaking and entering. Lowery was recently released from the Scotland County Detention Center after two charges of first-degree murder against him were dismissed.
They were all placed under a $150,000 secured bond, with the exception of Lewis and Carter, who were on probation at the time of the break-ins. On Monday, Carter was also charged by Laurinburg police for one count of breaking and entering, one count of larceny after breaking and entering, one count of meter tampering, and one count of injury to real property for the Carolina Pawn break-in. Carter is also being charged with attempted breaking and entering, meter tampering, and injury to real property for the Ned’s Pawn Shop break-in.
Carter used a stolen car in both Laurinburg break-ins, Edwards said, which has been recovered by Laurinburg police, and property stolen from the Wagram business has also been recovered and returned.
The five face numerous charges in Robeson County as well.
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