South Point – Five South Point men are in police custody this week for at least two robberies at the same South Point grocery store.

Monday, November 29, 1999

South Point – Five South Point men are in police custody this week for at least two robberies at the same South Point grocery store.

The arrests came as a result of a cooperative investigation among three law enforcement agencies that ended Saturday night.

Gary Porter, 18, of South Point and Joshua Lesler, 18, of South Point are in police custody at the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department after the two-month investigation, South Point Police Department Detective Rodney Armstrong said.

"They are charged with multiple counts of aggravated burglary, one in connection with the Sept. 30 burglary of the Bread Basket in South Point," Armstrong said.

In an unrelated incident, three other arrests were made Wednesday night immediately following an armed robbery at the Bread Basket grocery store in South Point, Armstrong said.

Scott Moore, 18, of South Point, Andrew Moore, 20, of Ashland, Ky., formerly of South Point, and a 15-year-old male are in custody awaiting trial on charges of armed robbery, Armstrong said.

"At approximately 6 p.m. Wednesday, the three suspects entered the Bread Basket and pointed a revolver at the cashier, demanding money," he said. "They were wearing white sweatshirts, black denim pants with a Halloween-type masquerade mask covering their eyes and black lipstick on their lips."

After giving the three suspects an as yet undetermined amount of money from the register, the cashier retrieved a weapon and followed the suspects out of the store, shooting three rounds of ammunition at the vehicle, Armstrong said.

Armed with a description of the vehicle and assistance from the county sheriff’s department, officers apprehended Scott Moore and the juvenile suspect within village limits just four hours after the robbery, he said.

"At about 10 p.m., the suspects’ van was stopped by a South Point officer, at which time two out of three of the suspects were arrested and taken to South Point Police Department," he said.

Both suspects allegedly confessed to the robbery and provided information concerning the whereabouts of the third suspect, Andrew Moore, he added.

"We learned that the third suspect was in his apartment in Ashland, at which time we contacted the Ashland Police Department," Armstrong said. "The Ashland police apprehended the suspect and we went to the Ashland Police Department to interview him. This case would not have been solved were it not for the fantastic cooperation of all three agencies involved."

The final suspect also allegedly confirmed his part in the incident, Armstrong said.