Alert driver helps thwart armored truck theft attempt

In a press release, the sheriff's office said that on Thursday, June 13, at approximately 1:30 p.m., deputies from the Rowan County Sheriff's Office responded to the Five Below store located at 125 Tingle Drive in Salisbury in reference to a call of a suspicious person. Along the way, officers were informed that there were two suspects outside the store, wearing hoodies with the word “security” written on them, and that there was an armored truck nearby. Officers were also informed that the driver of the armored truck was inside the store.

The first deputy to arrive on scene saw the two suspects dressed in black, with security hoodies, standing near the Brinks armored truck with their hands in their pockets. Once the deputy exited his patrol vehicle, the suspects began to walk away. The deputy called them, but they continued to walk away. He followed them and continued to call them, asking them to stop and show their hands. At one point, both suspects fled the scene on foot and were seen getting into a gold Nissan Altima.

Shortly thereafter, China Grove Police encountered the suspect vehicle and a pursuit began. The suspect vehicle eventually stopped at 802 Mt Olivet Road in Kannapolis, where three suspects exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Two of the three suspects were arrested. The two people arrested are Devonte Scott and Raymond Tino.

While transporting Tino to the sheriff's office, he began hitting the patrol vehicle's cage, damaging it. He was charged with resisting a public officer, criminal damage to property and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. Scott was also charged with conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. A search warrant was then obtained and a search of the vehicle located a Glock .40 caliber handgun.

Tino and Scott were booked into the Rowan County Detention Center without bail due to the Pretrial Integrity Act.