SMITHFIELD, N.C. — State and federal agents on the hunt for two career criminals, whom they believe have struck again.

Investigators are looking for Gilbert Smith and Angelo Epps. They believe the two men held up Zales Jewelry Stores. The first one was robbed in December in at the Smithfield Outlets. The second was held up in February in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Agents think the pair is hiding in Greensboro, Raleigh, or Fayetteville because they have ties to those areas. They also suspect the two are part of a bigger crime ring responsible for other armed robberies in the past several months.

Both men have long criminal records. Smith and Epps spent the last two decades in and out of prison. Smith was convicted of burglary, armed robbery, and passing bad checks as early as 1981, while Epps served time for larceny, robbery, and breaking and entering. His crimes date back to the late 70s.