Richland, Beaufort county men charged in Sumter armed robbery at jewelry store
A Richland County man and a Beaufort County man have been charged with robbing a jewelry store in Sumter, the Sumter Police Department said in a news release.
Wayne Darrelle Pondexter Jr., 27, of Eastover, and Shaheym Dizaire Freeman, 25, of Saint Helena Island, are both being held in the Sumter County jail after being charged with armed robbery, kidnapping, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a weapon by a felon and criminal conspiracy.
According to Sumter Police, at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, two armed men wearing masks and latex gloves went into a Kay Jewelers on Broad Street and demanded an employee to open a showcase. The men placed an undetermined amount of jewelry into a bag and left, the police said.
Police said they linked a vehicle seen leaving the parking lot at the time of the robbery to a residence in Eastover. After the robbery, the two men traveled to Eastover, then to Orangeburg, before returning to Eastover where they were taken into custody, police said.
During the investigation, Orangeburg law enforcement located and recovered the stolen merchandise, which was sold to a business.
