The Wrightsville Beach Police Department (WBPD) is investigating an Aug. 25 armed robbery of an Oceanic Restaurant employee.
The suspect is still at large.
WBPD Chief Dan House said David Honeycutt, a recent Oceanic hire, stopped by his car in the public parking lot across the street after taking out the trash around 9 p.m. Honeycutt heard rustling in the bushes, and when he emerged from his car with a cigarette in hand, a man whose face was hidden beneath a hat and tightly drawn hooded sweatshirt appeared.
The police report states the man brandished a “revolver-type gun” and whispered instructions to Honeycutt to turn over his money. Honeycutt handed the man his wallet. The man removed $240 in cash and threw the wallet to the ground before running off.
Honeycutt did not have a cell phone. By the time he got in his car and drove to Oceanic to call the police, approximately five minutes had lapsed.
House said WPBD received the call at 9:15 p.m. and responded immediately, requesting K-9 units from the Wilmington Police Department to sniff out a trail.
“It was a lot of pavement and people had gone through there, so they just weren’t able to pick up a track. So we didn’t catch the guy. We have no clue where he is. The only thing we have is a description,” House said.
The suspect is wanted on felony charges. The suspect is described as a mustached black male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches in height and 175 pounds. He wore a black Ecko Unltd. sweatshirt with the compay’s rhinoceros logo on the front with black jeans and black boots.
House said the department is tracking down a few leads but anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Sgt. Blanton at the Wrightsville Beach Police Department by calling 910-256-7945.
Additionally, House said the department plans to request security cameras in that area at an upcoming board of aldermen meeting. He cited a July 31 incident in which the public restrooms adjacent to the lot were vandalized.
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