Recovered property, and a repeated method of robbing two local Richmond County restaurants led and a tip led to the arrest of two Hamlet men charged with two separate robberies.

Richard Lee Sweatt, 18, West Hamlet Avenue, of Hamlet, and Dequan Edward McLeod, 19, Laurel Avenue, of Hamlet, were charged by the Hamlet Police Department with felony robbery with a dangerous weapon, felony conspiracy, robbery with a dangerous weapon and felony discharging weapon into occupied property for the Jan. 1 robbery of a restaurant in Hamlet on Dec. 21.

The Rockingham Police Department charged Sweatt with felony armed robbery, felony conspiracy to commit armed robbery and felony discharging a firearm into occupied property for a robbery on Jan. 1.

In both instances, Sweatt and McLeod entered the restaurant demanding money and fired a shot into the ceiling.

“Initially we got some information about who the suspects were,” said Det. Scott Waters with the Hamlet Police Department. “Later on we heard reports of a similar robbery in Rockingham.”

The tip was received from a lieutenant with the Sheriff’s Office.

The Hamlet Police Department began looking for the suspects matching the description.

Waters said on Jan. 1 dispatchers gave a be-on-the-lookout for suspects who recently robbed the Rockingham store. Due to the tip received regarding their identities and a similar method of robbery, the Hamlet Police Department began following their leads.

“Both times they had the same M.O. -they fired a shot into the ceiling,” Waters said.

Sweatt was arrested after being identified by an eyewitness from a line-up at the Rockingham Police Department, according to Waters.

McLeod came to the Hamlet Police Department on Jan. 4 to speak with officers, he confessed to the crimes on Jan. 5.

“They were charged appropriately,” Waters said.

Property stolen from the crime scenes also helped in charging McLeod and Sweatt, according to Waters.

“A cell phone taken from the restaurant (in Hamlet) was found by a citizen where one of the young men lived,” Waters said. “That put them in the area.”

Additionally, a laptop stolen from the Rockingham incident was recovered.

“That property was recovered from his (Sweatt) mom’s house,” Det. George Gillenwater with the Rockingham Police Department said.

Sweatt is being held in the Richmond County Jail under a $75,000 bond.

McLeod is under $50,000 bond.

“It (the arrests) came from a good working relationship with the Rockingham Police Department,” Waters said.

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