Armed holdups are on the rise

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office has beefed up patrols after a series of business holdups. And deputies aren't blaming the robberies on hard times.

"They were thugs before the economy. They will be thugs after the economy," sheriff's Capt. Troy Elwell said Tuesday.

There doesn't seem to be any reason behind the spike in crime, he said.

Extra road patrol officers and investigators have been assigned to check convenience stores and banks in Aiken County, he said.

"As long as we're having an issue, we're going to keep it going," he said.

The most recent cases occurred Monday when three armed robberies took place about 10:30 p.m. Two happened in North Augusta, and the third was outside the city limits in Aiken County. All three were within a five-mile area along U.S. Highway 25, Capt. Elwell said. The same man is suspected in all three -- at a Circle K, a Kangaroo Express and a Four Seasons convenience store.

"You don't see this very often," Capt. Elwell said.

He said authorities know of two other armed robberies that might be connected: one that occurred a couple of weeks ago at the Beech Island Credit Union and another about a month ago at the Manis Mart, also in Beech Island.

Capt. Elwell said his department hopes the public will help.

"These are not remote areas," he said. "... Somebody's got to see something."

Anyone with information can call the sheriff's office at (800) 922-9709.

Reach Preston Sparks and Greg Gelpi at (706) 724-0851.