Fayetteville police arrest four in three early morning break-ins

First, police responded to calls about a break-in at an Exxon convenience store at 3800 Morganton Road around 1:20 a.m. Witnesses told police that a man fitting the suspect description was headed toward the Cambridge Arms Apartment Complex.

Officers found Joseph Renford Roberts, 50, of 40 Cambridge Arms, carrying beer. Police said he had several fresh cuts on his arms. He was identified as the man caught on surveillance tape from the store, police said.

Roberts was charged with breaking, entering and larceny of a business, possession of stolen property and larceny after breaking and entering.

Roberts was sentenced to probation last September after being convicted of 13 counts of misdemeanor breaking and entering, state Department of Correction records show.

Shortly before 5 a.m. Friday, police responded to an alarm at the Great American Flea Market, 4909 Raeford Road. Officers found a Ford Explorer parked at the rear of the building, which they surrounded. 

Eventually three suspects surrendered. Police said they are Prentice Brimage, 19, of 457 Baywood Road, Robert Cooper, 16, of Dunn Road, and 15-year-old juvenile.

Police said the suspects used the Explorer to climb on the store's roof, pried it open and started removing items. Investigators said they also determined that the SUV and items inside it had been stolen during an earlier break-in at Eastover Furniture at 4017 Dunn Road earlier that day.

Brimage, Cooper and the 15-year-old were charged with breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods and larceny after breaking and entering. Police also expected to file charges of larceny of a motor vehicle.