LANCASTER — Police arrested three people in connection with a string of robberies that occurred in Lancaster.
Early Tuesday morning, 27-year–old Newlin Carr, 41-year-old Tyshea Thomas, and 56-year-old Gary Dorsey were taken into custody, just hours after the three allegedly robbed two convenience stores.
According to Lancaster Police, a black female, later identified as Thomas, and a black male, later identified as Dorsey, entered Family Dollar Store on Monday around 7:55 p.m. The two stole an entire cash register while holding a knife to the neck of a store employee. The suspects fled and were seen getting into a gray four-door vehicle.
At 11:09 p.m., Thomas entered a Turkey Hill, pointed an unknown object at the clerk as if she had a gun and demanded cash. Police say she fled the scene on foot and was met by Dorsey. They then entered the same described vehicle.
Officers received information that the suspects fled to the area of the 400 block of East Orange Street. Police observed an unknown black male discard something into a trash dumpster and then entered into a residence in the block. The loot that was discarded was from the Turkey Hill store, police add.
A Chevrolet Sonic, which matched the description of the suspect vehicle, was also parked in the area. Surveillance was established on the vehicle and the homes where the alleged suspect may have re-entered. At 1:06 a.m., Tuesday, a male, later identified as Carr, was observed entering that same vehicle. He was apprehended and taken into custody.
An investigation revealed that Thomas and Dorsey were still inside a home in the block. Officers and detectives made contact with the occupants and they were taken into custody. Thomas was arrested on a previous warrant for robbery through Manheim Township Police, which allegedly occurred on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, while Dorsey was taken into custody for a parole violation.
Further investigation determined that the three individuals were involved in a knife-point robbery on January 5. According to police, Thomas and Dorsey entered USA Gas station at 3:18 p.m. Dorsey allegedly struck the clerk with a knife and Thomas held a box-cutter at the victim’s stomach and demanded cash. The pair fled in a vehicle in which Carr was driving.
Thomas faces three counts of robbery, three counts of criminal conspiracy/robbery and two counts of aggravated assault. Dorsey is charged with three counts of robbery, three counts of criminal conspiracy/robbery and one count of aggravated assault. Carr, who drove Thomas and Dorsey from the scene after each robbery, faces three counts of robbery and three counts of criminal conspiracy/robbery.
