Man in custody is believed to be perpetrator in robbery at store
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on April 24, 2016 1:45 AM
Authorities believe a man arrested for the attempted robbery of First South Bank on Cashwell Drive is also responsible for the armed robbery of a gas station on U.S. 13 North.
Malik Niquan Thomas, 20, of 998 N. N.C. 903, Snow Hill, who was charged in the attempted robbery of First South Bank at 2801 Cashwell Drive, was charged in an additional armed robbery Thursday that occurred on April 12 at the Handy Mart at 2495 U.S. 13 North.
Both robberies happened on the same day, with attempted bank robbery happening in the morning and the Handy Mart robbery happening that night.
Thomas was given a $125,000 bond for the attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon at the First South Bank, and was given an additional $125,000 bond for the armed robbery at the Handy Mart.
For the Handy Mart robbery, Thomas was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, as Thomas allegedly fired rounds from a handgun at the gas station clerk who was on duty during the robbery, with several rounds hitting the floor around the clerk's feet.
The Goldsboro Police Department is working with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating leads on a second suspect in both robberies. Law enforcement believes the second suspect was also involved in both robberies.
Law enforcement used video surveillance to determine their belief that both robberies were committed by the same two suspects, as both suspects were armed, wearing black clothing and were of the same build and had the same mannerisms in both incidents.