HAMLET - Thanks to the quick and decisive action of the Hamlet Police Department and adjoining law enforcement agencies, two Wadesboro residents had a short-lived visit to Hamlet this afternoon.
Jaylen DeShawn Smith, 17, and Randi Simone Rivers, 20, both of Wadesboro, decided to make a “fast stop” at the Fast Stop on West Hamlet Avenue/74 at 1:15 p.m. Unfortunately for the pair, this "fast stop" was followed by another "fast stop" that may end up resulting in a "long stay" for each of them.
Pretending to buy candy, Smith allegedly brandished a handgun, forcibly removed cash from the register, and “skittled” out the door, for some reason leaving the candy of a similar name behind on the counter. Jumping into a silver Chevrolet Impala being driven by Rivers (who herself was already facing outstanding warrants in Anson County), Smith made a rapid departure.
HPD officers instantaneously responded to the 911 call from the distressed clerk and immediately alerted nearby law enforcement agencies as to the situation.
Within 90 minutes the afternoon cruise with stolen funds came to an abrupt end. The astute observations of a witness at the adjacent FirstHealth Medical Center offices yielded an accurate vehicle description and tag number. The suspects were soon spotted on Highway 74 in Anson County near Fire Tower Road where they were stopped and arrested by Anson County Sheriff’s Department deputies. HPD subsequently picked them up and had them at the HPD station at 3:15 p.m. The suspects were subsequently processed into the Richmond County Jail under secured bonds of $50,000 for Smith and, due to her outstanding warrants already in place, $85,000 for Rivers.
Now THAT is quick and efficient police work, my friends.
“Anson County was very responsive, obviously, but Richmond County deputies were on the scene even before we were,” said HPD Captain Marc Terry.
HPD Chief Scott Waters added “We (he and Captain Terry) were actually at a Crime Stoppers meeting when we got the call, and we can’t emphasize enough how well these other agencies – Rockingham Police, Highway Patrol, and even Scotland County – coordinated the search.” (The suspects initially headed north on 177 so it wasn’t clear as to which way they would go - thus the alert to officers in surrounding counties.)
Other details were not forthcoming at this time but the Richmond Observer will update reports as information becomes available.
