Juvenile is taken into custody and charged with armed robbery

A 16-year-old male was taken into custody and charged in connection with an armed robbery that occurred Thursday, January 11, at Farmers & Merchants Bank.

The charges resulted from a joint investigation conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Lincolnton Police Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Although the Lincoln County resident is being charged as an adult, his name will not appear in The Lincoln Journal until a judge rules that the case will be tried in superior court as opposed to juvenile court.

At this point in the investigation, law enforcement officers believe the subject did not have an accomplice.

According to Sheriff Gerald Lawson, the juvenile entered the rear door of the bank between 3:40 and 3:52 p.m., wearing a large camouflage jacket with the fur-trimmed hood pulled over his head. His face was covered by what was believed to be a stocking mask.

Once inside, he walked up to a teller and showed her his gun. He then threw a bag on the counter and told her to fill it up.

After receiving the money, which amounted to less than $5,000, the juvenile exited the bank by the rear door and escaped on a Murray Roadmaster bicycle. It is believed that he traveled down Martin Street, turned right onto Lincoln Avenue, and left onto Moss Street, leaving his bicycle in a wooded area near the cul-de-sac on Moss Street. The bicycle was recovered by officers within 30 minutes of the robbery.

Assisting in the investigation was the K-9 unit from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. The dog started tracking from where the juvenile abandoned the bike but was unable to lead law enforcement officers to the subject.

The rest of the day was spent interviewing witnesses and running down leads which turned out to be dead ends. The big break did not come until the morning of January 12 when officers were notified that a certain individual knew the robber's identity.

Later that morning, Special Agent Tony Williamson with the GBI, Lincolnton Police Chief Jim Justice, and an investigator with the sheriff's office took the juvenile into custody at his school in McDuffie County.

"By 1:30 p.m., he had confessed to the crime and a warrant was issued for one count of armed robbery," stated Sheriff Lawson.

It is possible that federal charges may be filed as well.

The subject was then transported to the Regional Youth Detention Center where he is being held on a $500,000 property bond.

The sheriff indicated that most of the stolen money has been recovered.

In closing, Sheriff Lawson said, "I want to thank Chief Jim Justice and the Lincolnton Police Department, GBI Agent Tony Williamson, the FBI office in Augusta, the deputies and staff at the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, and the Columbia County Sheriff's Office for a job well done. They understood the impact of such a crime on our community. All agencies participating in the investigation played an important role in placing this individual in custody in a timely manner.

"I want to publicly commend everyone involved for their efforts," he continued. "I'm very proud of how the different agencies pulled together and worked as one to solve this crime."