Burlington police arrest suspect in Family Fare armed robbery

Burlington police moved quickly from a late-night armed robbery to a named suspect in custody, arresting Richard Lamar Hart, Jr. on Monday, May 25, just two days after officers say he held up the Family Fare at 2227 Maple Avenue. Hart, 39, of Durham Street, was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon and driving while license revoked. He was taken to the Alamance County Detention Center and is being held without bond.

Police said the robbery happened around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, when a man entered the store, produced a firearm and demanded money from the register. The suspect fled on foot toward Chapel Hill Road with an undisclosed amount of cash. No injuries were reported. Investigators initially described the suspect as about 5-foot-9, of medium build, believed to be in his late 20s to early 30s, wearing a black hoodie, black jeans, black shoes and a black ski mask.

The case advanced on Monday when detectives conducted a traffic stop of a suspect vehicle and recovered evidence tied to the robbery. Officers later executed a search warrant at 1407 Durham Street and seized additional evidence, according to police. That sequence, from robbery to arrest to search warrant, gave the case a short turnaround that is likely to matter to neighbors and businesses along Maple Avenue, where clerks and customers depend on a fast police response when a gun is involved.

The Family Fare robbery also raised the stakes because it happened at a familiar convenience store in a well-traveled Burlington corridor. A firearm was reportedly pointed at an employee during the hold-up, and the arrest on a firearm charge suggests investigators believe the case involved more than a simple theft. With Hart being held without bond, the immediate question for residents and merchants is whether the criminal case now moves from street-level danger to court proceedings.

Alamance County Crime Stoppers said tips in the case can be submitted anonymously by phone or through the P3 Tips app, and qualifying tips may be eligible for rewards of up to $2,500.