SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — Two men have been arrested following an armed robbery at a Sumter jewelry store, the Sumter Police Department reported.
Wayne Darrelle Pondexter Jr., 27, of Eastover, and Shaheym Dizaire Freeman, 25, of Saint Helena Island, face multiple charges, including 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.
Police responded around 11:30 a.m. Thursday to Kay Jewelers on Broad Street, where two armed suspects wearing face coverings and latex gloves allegedly forced an employee to open a display case. Authorities said the suspects filled a bag with jewelry and then fled the scene.
Investigators tracked a vehicle leaving the store’s parking lot to an Eastover residence. Working with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Orangeburg County Department of Public Safety, and the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, detectives traced the suspects’ route through Orangeburg County before returning to Eastover, where both were arrested late Thursday afternoon.
Authorities in Orangeburg recovered the stolen jewelry after it had been sold to a local business.
Both men are currently held at the Sumter County Detention Center. No injuries were reported, and investigations in all three counties remain ongoing.
