August 27, 2010

Detectives make quick arrest in robbery case

Gary Houston

By Jon Mayhew
Lincolnton Police detectives worked quickly to make one arrest in the city's latest armed robbery.

Wednesday around 4pm, investigators Lt. Brian Greene and Sgt. Matt Painter arrested 52-year-old Gary Lee Houston of Buck Oak Road, Lincolnton. He turned himself in with his sister by his side at the Lincolnton Police Department.

Detectives Jason Munday and Dennis Harris assisted Greene and Painter in the investigation and arrest of Houston.

Houston and another man walked into the Times Turn Around on South Laurel Street Sunday around 10:30pm and demanded money from the clerk.

While not showing a weapon, the pair implied they had a gun. They left the store with an undisclosed amount of cash.

By Tuesday, authorities were developing leads in the case where Houston became a person of interest. Investigators learned Houston was either in Charlotte or Lincolnton.

Houston's criminal record goes back more than 25 years according to documentation attached to Houston's arrest sheet.

Many of the charges involve robbery out of Mecklenburg County. Houston is also a convicted felon, having served 14 years in prison for felony robbery with a dangerous weapon.

The suspect was taken to the Lincoln County Magistrate's Office, where Magistrate D. Peeler charged the man with felony robbery with a dangerous weapon and placed Houston in the Lincoln County Jail under a $25,000 secured bond.

Houston had a first appearance hearing in Lincoln County District Court on Thursday.

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

HOME