Jason Dwayne Newman
Jeremiah David Bruce
Jeremy Dale Woody
cffcbvbThree men are in custody on charges related to a string of armed robberies in the county, including one last night.
Wednesday night, officers with the Surry County Sheriff’s Office and the Mount Airy Police Department arrested three men on multiple felony counts after the trio allegedly robbed a series of convenience stores over the past several days, according to Sheriff Graham Atkinson.
The three, all facing multiple charges in connection with the robberies, are Jason Dwayne Newman, 33, of 219 Windy Lane in Dobson, Jeremiah David Bruce, 29, of 717 Factory Street in Mount Airy, and Jeremy Dale Woody, 34, of 219 Windy Lane in Dobson, according to police records.
The first robbery occurred on Friday, Sept. 21 at the Circle K Convenience Store at the intersection of Highway 74 and Red Brush Road in the Red Brush community.
During that robbery, two men dressed in black, with their faces covered, entered the store just after midnight.
“One of the men was armed,” Atkinson said.
The pair reportedly forced the store clerk to open the register, taking the money.
They also forced the clerk to bag up several cartons of cigarettes.
“The pair left the scene on foot and ran to a waiting vehicle that was parked on the Highway 74 ramp,” Atkinson said.
The second robbery occurred on Sunday, Sept. 23, around 9:30 p.m., according to the sheriff.
“On that occasion, two men wearing a bandanna-style cloth covering on their faces and brandishing a firearm approached a male subject outside of the Cupboard Convenience Store located on Old Highway 601 in the White Plains community,” Atkinson said.
The men allegedly ordered the male inside the store and told him they intended to rob the store, according to the sheriff.
Once inside the store, the suspects demanded money from the clerk, and after receiving the money fled the store.
“The clerk, who was also armed, fired one shot at the suspects as they were running away,” Atkinson said.
The third robbery occurred Wednesday evening at the Super C Convenience Store located at the intersection of Highway 103 and Highway 104 inside Mount Airy.
“The suspects in this robbery fit the description of the two previous robberies,” the sheriff said.
Shortly after the robbery, Surry County detectives who were following up on leads of the two previous robberies stopped a suspect vehicle on Simpson Mill Road in the White Plains community.
“Working together, city and county officers were able to link enough information to tie the occupants of the vehicle to the robberies,” Atkinson said.
At the scene of the vehicle stop, Newman and Bruce were taken into custody. While they were being arrested, detectives also arrested Woody at his residence.
Following Woody’s arrest, investigators executed a search warrant of the Windy Lane residence, where they reportedly collected several items of evidence including cigarettes believed to have been stolen during the Circle K robbery, as well as items of clothing believed to have been worn during the Sept. 21 crime.
Drug paraphernalia, a quantity of marijuana and prescription medication were also seized at the scene, according to the sheriff.
Investigators with the sheriff’s office charged Newman with robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping in connection with the Red Brush robbery. He was also charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping in connection with the Cupboard Convenience Store robbery on Sept. 23.
Woody was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping in connection with the Red Brush robbery. He was also charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping in connection with the Cupboard Convenience Store robbery on Sept. 23.
Both Newman and Bruce are also facing one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the Wednesday night robbery in Mount Airy, according to Mount Airy Police Captain Alan Freeman.
All three are being held in the Surry County Jail under a $100,000 secured bond.
Atkinson said the investigation is continuing.
“I am very proud of the work of our officers during this investigation,” he said. “They have worked almost non-stop for the last 24 hours as information began to develop in this case.
“It is a relief for us and for all the good citizens of Surry County to know that these guys are off the street and locked up where they belong.”
Reach Keith Strange at kstrange@heartlandpublications.com or 719-1929.
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