CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — A woman thought to be behind a string of cellphone store robberies is also connected to robberies of Charlotte tanning salons, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said.
CMPD's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team arrested Kristie Welch at The Charlotte Inn on East Independence Boulevard on Sunday night, police said.
RAW VIDEO: Robbery Suspect Taken Into Police Custody
SLIDESHOW: Kristie Welch's Mug Shots
Welch is suspected of robbing eight businesses since June 14. Seven of the robberies happened at cellphone stores, and the eighth was at a doughnut shop. Detectives said they used surveillance video to connect Welch to the crimes.
WATCH: Surveillance Video Of Cell Phone Store Robbery
Police said Welch pretended to be talking on a phone as she walked into the stores and then showed a gun in her waistband before demanding money from the registers.
The most recent incident happened Sunday afternoon at the Cricket Wireless store on Highway 74 in Monroe. In that case, the store owner said, Welch pulled out a gun and pointed it at an employee's head.
Police said after her arrest, Welch identified 38-year-old Bryan Gale as her accomplice. He was charged in four tanning salon robberies, and Welch will be charged as a conspirator, according to police.
Police also charged Charlsy Huneycutt, 27, in connection with two of the cellphone store robberies.
Several store owners said Welch boasted of committing other crimes while robbing their stores.
The owner of the Boost Mobile store that was robbed Friday night said Welch bragged that she had robbed several stores in just a few days.
The owner of the Cricket store that was robbed on Sunday said Welch not only told them about her crime spree, but told the store employees she was "surprised" they hadn't seen her on the news.
Most of the robberies were at Cricket or Boost Mobile stores. Detectives told Eyewitness News that was likely because those stores offer prepaid phones, which customers typically pay for in cash.
Click the blue dots for more information on each robbery. View Robberies Of Cellphone Stores, Tanning Salons in a larger map
Previous Stories: June 21, 2011: Woman Wanted For Questioning In 3 Robberies