Lexington County, SC (WLTX) -- Lexington County detectives arrested an 18-year-old West Columbia man and a 16-year-old West Columbia male in connection with two armed robberies, an attempted robbery, and a string of seven vehicle burglaries that happened in various parts of the county.
Deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department early Wednesday morning arrested 18-year-old Alexander Upton Rogers at his home on Broken Arrow Trail in West Columbia and charged him with armed robbery, criminal conspiracy, grand larceny, and seven counts of breaking into a motor vehicle.
Later that day, deputies arrested Garrett Tyler Williams, 16, of Blossom View Court in West Columbia and charged him with the same charges as Rogers.
According to an arrest warrant, Rogers, who was accompanied by Williams, robbed a person at an automated teller machine at the Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union on Platt Springs Road near West Columbia at 5:20 a.m. on December 2, 2009. Previous Coverage: Police: Man Held Two Up at Gunpoint, Attempted Another Robbery
After that incident, deputies say the duo broke into seven cars located near the Westgate subdivision near West Columbia and the Whispering Glenn subdivision near Lexington. Investigators say the suspects took firearms from the vehicle that they later used to commit armed robberies.
Later in the day at 5:56 a.m., investigators say Rogers and Williams robbed a person inside a vehicle in the drive-thru lane at the Sonic Drive-In on West Main Street in Lexington. Six minutes later, deputies say they were spotted at the Food Lion on West Main Street, where they tried to rob a person in the parking lot.
Detectives say they took a white Mazda pickup truck that Rogers used during the crimes. Rogers is being detained at the Lexington County jail awaiting a bond hearing scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday. Williams is being detained on bail totaling $305,000 at a pre-trial detention facility on Broad River Road in Columbia.
Investigators believe that Rogers and Williams could be responsible for other crimes, but they need your help. If you have any information that could assist investigators, you are urged to call CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC or text a tip to "CRIMES" beginning with the term "TIPSC."