A man arrested by Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies following a vehicular chase has also been charged by the Hamlet Police Department with the robbery of a store on East Spring Street and Rockingham police for the theft of a car earlier on Saturday.

Cedric Antonio Bell, 22, Crestway Drive, Rockingham, entered the East Spring Street store around 3 a.m. Reports say he took a sucker to the counter and paid for the item in pennies from a cup he brought into the store. Afterwards, he asked the clerk if they could break a $10 bill.

Once the clerk opened the register Bell reached across the counter, knocking merchandise and displays over, and stuck his hand in to drawer to take an unknown amount of cash. According to reports, the clerk slammed the drawer on Bell’s hand. At this time, he left the store, entered a silver Ford Escort and headed east on Hwy. 74.

Once Hamlet police arrived at the store, they reviewed security tapes and identified the suspect as Bell. They contacted the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office who, at the time, reported Bell had stolen the Escort from a restaurant parking lot in Rockingham.

Bell was later apprehended by sheriff’s deputies following a vehicular chase which ended with Bell wrecking the vehicle and fleeing the scene.

Bond set by the Hamlet Police Department was $25,000 for felony common law robbery. Rockingham police charged him with misdemeanor simple assault, misdemeanor damage to property and misdemeanor larceny of a motor vehicle and bond was set at $100,000. The sheriff’s office charges for a robbery in Cordova and the chase that followed total $100,000.

Other arrests reported by the Hamlet Police Department include:

Andrew Clifton Steele, 49, Sanford Street, Hamlet, was arrested for misdemeanor shoplifting, misdemeanor communicating threats and four counts of misdemeanor failure to appear. Bond was set at $2,000.

Phillip Johnson Stewart, 45, Henderson Street, Hamlet, was arrested for misdemeanor failure to appear. Bond was set at $500.

Amber Williams Redick, 30, East Columbia Avenue, Hamlet, was arrested for simple assault. She was released with a written promise to appear in court.

Incidents reported by the Hamlet Police Department include:

A homeowner on Bauersfield Street reported a breaking and entering of their home and injury to property. More than $3,000 in property was stolen or damaged.

On McDonald Avenue, a woman returned home from work to find her home ransacked.

Someone on Freeman Mill Road reported the larceny of cash, jewelry, a handgun and a scooter with a total value of $3,100.

Vinyl siding on a home on Jefferson Street was damaged by an unknown person.

On Buttercup Drive, a homeowner reported $2,200 in property stolen or missing after an unknown suspect entered the home.

A resident of Hylan Drive reported $900 in property missing following a breaking and entering.

A home on Austin Street was broken into. A window and screen were damaged.

A back door was kicked open on Austin Street, but no property was reported missing by the homeowner.

An $1,100 HDTV was stolen from a home on Buttercup Drive in Hamlet.

Incidents reported by the Rockingham Police Department include:

A woman reported a purse snatching at a store on East Broad Street.

Someone on East Broad Avenue reported someone communicating threats.

On Thomas Street someone reported a lawnmower being stolen.

A tractor trailer driver reported someone breaking into their trailer and taking 16 boxes of sportswear.

Someone on Poplar Street reported a domestic dispute.

Arrests reported by the Rockingham Police Department include:

Brandon Eric Evans, 20, Henderson Street, Hamlet, was arrested for misdemeanor provisional driving while intoxicated, misdemeanor careless and reckless and misdemeanor open container. He was released with a written promise to appear in court.

Donahue Deberry, Armstead Street, Rockingham, was arrested for felony possession of a firearm by a felon and misdemeanor communicating threats. Bond was set at $2,000.

Arrest reports published in the Richmond County Daily Journal are copied from local law enforcement records. Except for people injured in motor vehicle accidents or reportable deaths, victims including people, businesses and institutions and their addresses are not included as a matter of newspaper policy. Reports include both arrests and criminal summons such as citations. The Daily Journal lists them all as arrests. People charged are presumed innocent until determined to be guilty by a court of law.

Staff writer Bryan Stewart can be reached at 997-3111 ext. 15 or by e-mail at bstewart@yourdailyjournal.com.