Police seek robbery suspect
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on June 7, 2016 1:46 PM
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John Earl Hinton Jr.
The Five Points Food Mart at 335 U.S. 13 South was robbed at gunpoint Monday morning.
Police are searching for 61-year-old John Earl Hinton Jr., of 523 Stadium Drive Apt. A, in connection with the robbery.
Authorities say Hinton is wanted for robbery with a dangerous weapon and should be considered armed and dangerous.
According to a press release, Hinton allegedly entered the store just after 6 a.m. Monday and pointed a handgun at the store clerk and demanded money.
The clerk, Mohammed Hussein Alkhanshali, handed over approximately $130, followed the man out of the store and watched him drive away in a black 2009 Kia Sportage.
"The guy turned and ran out of the store, and the employee followed him out," said Capt. Richard Lewis with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies found the car Hinton allegedly fled in ditched in a field about 200 feet off of O'Berry Road and Durham Lake Road in Mount Olive. Nobody was around the vehicle when it was found by deputies. The vehicle was seized and impounded.
An unidentified man was detained for questioning after the robbery, but was determined by investigators to not be a suspect in the case.
"We've got warrants out but nobody arrested yet," Lewis said.
Anyone with information about this crime or any other crime in Wayne County is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 919-735-2255 or text at 919-222-4230. Callers will remain anonymous and if your information leads to a felony arrest you will be given a cash reward for the information. Crime Stoppers gives cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to felony arrests.
Citizens are also asked to call Det. Sgt. Robert Parchman at 919-731-1537 or 919-731-1480 with any information.