Three people from Greenville have been arrested in a series of Walmart larcenies that included the one here and one in Tarboro and Greenville.

One was arrested by Roanoke Rapids police and remains in custody in the Halifax County Jail. The ones arrested by Tarboro and Pitt County authorities have made bond.

Thefts in Roanoke Rapids occurred on December 8, 12 and 18 and included nearly $9,700 worth of laptops, X-box consoles, cameras and headphones.

Walmart loss prevention notified Roanoke Rapids police when the three, working, together, allegedly lifted $1,000 worth of cell phones, went to the infant section, unsealed a car seat box and placed the cell phones in the box but left the car seat behind.

A cashier opened the resealed box and discovered the cell phones and the three ran.

This was the apparent method of operation in the other store robberies where the suspects only paid for the car seat, the box, however, containing the stolen items.

Access to the electronics was obtained by using a key that was apparently stolen from one of the Walmart stores, Captain Andy Jackson of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department said.

Detective Corey Dixon worked tireless hours investigating the case, Jackson said, and worked with Tarboro and Pitt County authorities to make arrests in the case.

Jackson said investigation continues and more arrests are possible.

Arrested in Roanoke Rapids was Bernard McCarter, 29. He faces charges of three counts felony larceny, three counts felony possession of stolen goods, one count of misdemeanor larceny and one count of possession of stolen goods. He remains jailed on $10,000 bond.

Arrested in Pitt County was Demetice Mashae Jenkins, 31, who faces Roanoke Rapids charges of misdemeanor larceny, misdemeanor possession of stolen goods, three counts of felony larceny and possession of stolen goods and one count attempted obtaining property by false pretense, which stemmed from the cell phones in the car seat box. Jenkins was released from custody on $40,000 secured bond.

Arrested and released from custody on $30,000 secured bond in Edgecombe County on the same day was Fran Lynette Rogers, 31. Rogers faces Roanoke Rapids charges of three counts of felony larceny and possession of stolen goods, one count attempted obtaining property by false pretense and four counts of trespassing because, according to Jackson, she had been previously told not to come onto Walmart property here.

Jackson said only the cell phones were recovered in Roanoke Rapids. The three have March 7 court dates.