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Man arrested in 3-day string of armed robberies across Charlotte, CMPD says

CHARLOTTE — A man has been arrested for a string of robberies in Charlotte this week, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced.

In a news conference Friday, Lt. Bryan Crum said it all began Wednesday afternoon and ended in an arrest early the next day.

Lt. Crum said around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, someone robbed the Walgreens on East W.T. Harris Boulevard at Hickory Grove Road. He said a man with a gun demanded money from a cashier, took it, and then drove away.

Crum said there were four more robberies after that appeared to be committed by the same person, and said the suspect used several different cars in the process.

Through investigation, police were able to identify the suspect as Jamaris Smith, 33, and arrested him early Thursday. Smith was charged in six different robberies on three different days:

  • Tuesday night at a Sam’s Mart on Sharon Road
  • Wednesday afternoon at the Walgreens
  • Wednesday night at a CVS
  • Later Wednesday night at a Circle K
  • Early Thursday morning at a 7-Eleven
  • Later Thursday morning at a Burger King

Crum said Smith has one prior armed robbery conviction, as well as some fraud charges. They also charged him with two counts of kidnapping, Crum said.

Someone robbed the same Walgreens on Thursday, Crum said, but that crime was unrelated and police are still searching for a suspect in the case.

“It’s a little scary. Maybe I need to go to a different Walgreens,” a man named Michael told Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz on Friday after learning of the robberies. “I think we need to get it cleaned up and find out why all these robberies are going on and maybe get some extra security around the places that are getting robbed.”

(WATCH BELOW: Police: Man accused of carjacking 70-year-old, armed robbery in Gastonia crime spree)