FBI assisting in investigation of business robberies, burglaries in Mecklenburg, Union counties

CHARLOTTE — The FBI is helping to investigate a string of robberies and burglaries at arcades and other businesses in Charlotte and Monroe.

Channel 9 uncovered a court document laying out all of the businesses that have been targeted from May until November.

There have been several burglaries and armed robberies in Mecklenburg and Union counties, which are connected, according to the court documents.

Some businesses were hit more than once and in one robbery, suspects got away with $20,000.

“I thought about what could have happened,” said a witness, who did not want to be identified. “That’s why I stopped going.”

The woman said she was one of 10 people inside of the Blue Dragon arcade on South Boulevard in May when police say two gunmen came in and ordered everyone to get down on the ground.

“Oh, I was scared,” she said. “I was very worried about what was going to happen. I didn’t know what they were going to do. What they were capable of.”

Police believe the men who robbed the Blue Dragon also hit an arcade on Valleydale Road where the suspect’s tricked their way in, claiming to work for Amazon.

According to the warrant, one of them was wearing Amazon delivery clothing and carrying an Amazon box. When the employee opened the door at the Skill Games arcade, the suspect knocked the employee to the ground and pulled out a large handgun.

Investigators said the gunmen stole $8,000 from Skill Games and $20,000 from the Blue Dragon.

The woman who was in the Blue Dragon said there was a long argument during the robbery.

“He kept on repeating himself and they weren’t doing what he asked, and he was making it seem like he was going to shoot them,” the witness said. “So, I had to scream at the man like, ‘Just open it already,’ so he could get out of here.”

That was the first time the woman had been to an arcade, and she said she will never go back.

“The people that worked there, or the manager, or whoever, (they were) not trying to protect us,” she said.

Robberies and burglaries in the investigation:

• May 2, 2022, at the Midway Skill Arcade, 4612 W. Highway 74, Monroe
• May 9, 2022, at the Blue Dragon Arcade, 4217 South Boulevard, Charlotte
• May 16, 2022, at Midway Skill Arcade, , 4612 W. Highway 74, Monroe
• Aug. 4, 2022, at the Skill Games Arcade, 424 Valleydale Road, Charlotte
• Sept. 6, 2022, at GMS Cyber Center, 402-D Patton Ave., Monroe
• Oct. 7, 2022, at the Express Mart, 400 Patton Ave., Monroe
• Oct. 14, 2022, at GMS Cyber Center, 402-D Patton Ave., Monroe

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