GASTONIA, N.C. — Suspects armed with guns and with their faces concealed are wanted for robbing at least two gas station convenience stores in Gaston County.
The suspects were caught on video robbing the Times Turn Around store on New Hope Road in Gastonia early Monday morning. Photos and videos from inside the store were released on Thursday by the Gastonia Police Department, seeking to locate and arrest the suspects.
“They are pretty brazen... you can see them walking into the store with no regard to who may be in the store,” Nancy Brogdon, the Gastonia Police Department assistant chief of police.
The store employees saw the suspects coming and were able to safely get out of the store, according to police.
“They (clerks) immediately see the threat and they ran out. They (suspects) were there for a few minutes trying to open up a cash register,” Brogdon said.
In total, police say there are four suspects. The video shows three suspects inside the store. Police say a fourth suspect stayed inside their car, which is a black Nissan Altima with dark-tinted windows and blacked-out wheels.
Minutes after robbing this Gastonia store, police believe the same group also robbed the Circle K convenience store, located on Wilkinson Blvd. in Belmont.
“They are wearing the mask, long clothing attire, there are a couple of things that could be identifiable, they had blue shoes on,” said Brogdon. “Some of their attire is identifiable, their mannerisms. Somebody out there knows something.”
Those living in the community are keeping a watchful eye.
“You have to be vigilant... I don’t go to certain places at night,” said a man pumping gas. “It can happen in the daytime too but you just have to be vigilant.”
“I just can’t believe that happens in Gastonia because we’ve been here 30-something years and it is just getting worse every year,” Rose Donaldson, who stops at this gas station daily, told WCNC Charlotte reporter Jesse Pierre.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Gastonia Police Department at 704-866-6069. A reward of up to $1,000 is on the table.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
