One arrested, one sought in armed robbery

Published 7:52 pm Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Police have arrested one suspect and seek another for an armed robbery that happened Saturday.

Tashombee Keishawn Jones, 24, of Pierce Street, was arrested by Washington police and charged with armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Police continue the search for the second suspect in the crime, Jaquan Tremel Jones, 22, of East 11th Street.

“Two suspects approached the victim and while displaying a firearm took an undetermined amount of cash. One suspect fired one shot into the ground before running away,” Capt. William Chrismon, spokesman for Washington Police Department, wrote in a press release.

Tashombee Jones is currently out on bond pending Superior Court trial for conspiracy to traffic opium and possession of five or more counterfeit instruments, the press release stated. He has been confined at the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $250,000 bond. Warrants have been obtained for Jaquan Jones for armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

Police are asking anyone who is aware of Jaquan Tremel Jones’ location to contact the Washington Police Department at 252-946-1444 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at 252-974-6400.

Washington Police and Fire Services Chief Stacy Drakeford said major robberies are rare in Washington. In July, however, the area did see a series of break-ins of local businesses. The Blind Center of North Carolina, Backwater Jack’s Tiki Bar and Grill and Market Street Pub all suffered losses during the first week of July, though there have been few since.

“Since we’ve put a little heat on it — more than what we were doing — it really hasn’t happened,” Drakeford said.

He said investigators now have a suspect in those crimes, but as always, encouraged people to lock cars and homes in an effort to deter potential thefts.

“Some of it is people pushing windows in; some of it is people, not being careless, but not using good, proactive crime prevention methods that we’ve been preaching for the past two years. That would drop our crime rate,” Drakeford said.