Garner police arrest one in Home Depot machete robbery attempt, seek second suspect

Garner police said one suspect remained at large after a robbery attempt at the Timber Drive Home Depot turned violent Tuesday afternoon, when a machete was brandished during a confrontation with store employees. Officers later arrested 23-year-old Dylaney Darnes after a brief chase, but investigators said a second suspect was still being sought.

Police said they got the call just before 3:30 p.m. about a possible armed robbery at the Home Depot near Highway 70 in Garner. According to investigators, Darnes and another person entered the store together and loaded a shopping cart with merchandise worth more than $1,000 before trying to leave.

The encounter escalated when Home Depot employees confronted the suspect as the pair attempted to exit. Police said one of them brandished a machete and fled. No one was hurt, but the weapon turned what could have been a shoplifting call into a felony robbery case and triggered a police search in a busy retail corridor.

Darnes was charged with felony robbery with a dangerous weapon. He also faces misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a public officer. Police said he had an outstanding felony warrant for aiding and abetting a robbery from March, adding another layer to the case against him.

The second suspect was still on the run, and police had not released a description. That left questions unanswered about how the two suspects coordinated the attempted theft and where the missing suspect went after the confrontation inside the store. For employees and shoppers at the Timber Drive location, the episode underscored how quickly an ordinary afternoon stop can turn into a dangerous public-safety incident when a weapon enters the picture.

Garner, a town of more than 45,000 residents next to downtown Raleigh, has a police department that says it works with the community to reduce crime and keep the town safe. The town also provides public access to crash and crime reports and statistics, a sign that more details could surface as the investigation continues.