Rocky Mount detectives are investigating whether two robberies are connected since victims gave similar descriptions of the suspects.

According to police reports, two men were in a hotel room at the Executive Inn with the door open when an SUV pulled up and two men ran into their room, one of whom reportedly was armed with a handgun. Police said the suspects stole a cellphone, money and two pairs of Nike shoes before driving away. The victims were not injured.

One suspect is described as a 5-foot-9 to 6-foot tall Latino man, between 220 and 250 pounds with a heavy build, short black hair and a black shirt. The second suspect is described as a Latino man with a medium build and wearing a short sleeve striped shirt. The suspects were last seen in a gray Nissan Pathfinder.

Several hours later a 61-year-old woman was getting out of her car at Tarrytown Beach Bingo when a gray Nissan Pathfinder pulled up nearby and a man started a conversation with her, police said. According to police reports, the man lunged into her car, grabbed the victim’s purse before driving north on Wesleyan Boulevard in the SUV. The woman was not injured.

The suspect is described as a 5-foot-8 Latino man, weighing about 180 pounds with short spiked hair. The victim said the SUV had dents on the driver’s side and rear doors.

“We are looking into the possibility of these crimes being related due to the close similarity of the suspect and the vehicle given by victims,” Rocky Mount police Cpl. Mike Lewis said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 977-1111 or crimestoppers@
rockymountnc.gov.