Henderson County: Arrest Made in Armed Robberies

At approximately 10:30 pm on Sunday, June 5, 2011 the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jose Belen Robles, Jr. 23, in connection with a series of armed robberies that took place beginning in the afternoon hours of June 5.

The first robbery was reported at approximately 5:01 pm by a female victim who stated she was robbed of $20 at knife point while at the Dollar General Store in Edneyville, North Carolina.

The second robbery was reported at approximately 8:11 pm by a male victim who stated he was robbed of $20 at knife point while at the Edneyville General Store.

The third robbery was reported at approximately 9:08 pm by an employee of the Grocery Stop convenience store located at 4700 Asheville Highway Hendersonville, North Carolina. The reporting party advised the suspect entered the business with his face covered by a T-shirt and he was armed with a knife. During the robbery the suspect removed cash, cigarettes, assorted DVD movies and fireworks from the premises.

As a result of information collected during the robbery investigations deputies and investigators were able to locate the suspect vehicle on Asheville Highway. Officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop, the operator of the suspect vehicle failed to stop and a brief chase ensued. The suspect vehicle was disabled by use of stop sticks and deputies were able to arrest Robles without further incident. Evidence located at the time of arrest clearly indicates Robles is directly responsible for the earlier reported robberies. The vehicle Robles was operating; a 1998 gold colored Chrysler Sebring had been stolen on June 3, 2011 in the city of Hendersonville.

Robles has been charged with three counts of felony robbery with a dangerous weapon, one count of felony larceny of a motor vehicle, one count of felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle, one count of felony fleeing to elude arrest, one misdemeanor count of simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance, one count of misdemeanor consumption of a malt beverage while driving a motor vehicle on highway and one misdemeanor count of driving while license revoked.

Robles of Chestnut Stump Road, Hendersonville is being held in the Henderson County Detention Facility under a $211,300 secured bond. He was scheduled for a first appearance in District Court this morning at 9:00 a.m.