Bond Set For Bearded-Robbery Suspect

Lacefield
Lacefield

BENTONVILLE -- Bond was set at $50,000 for the Rogers man suspected of donning a fake beard and committing a series of robberies earlier this month.

Joseph Thomas Lacefield, 50, was arrested Tuesday in connection with robbery, a Class B felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years in prison if convicted. He was being held in the Benton County Jail on Thursday night.

A Bentonville police officer was called at 12:55 a.m. May 15 to Town Place Suites at 3100 S.E. 14th St. A caller reported a man wearing a blue raincoat, blue jeans and a fake beard demanded money and left the business, according to a court documents.

Employee Timothy Dye told police a man walked up to the counter and removed a crumpled plastic bag from his raincoat. The man then tossed the bag at Dye and told him to fill it with cash.

Dye said he asked the man if he was serious and told him he was going to call the police.

The man said he wasn't kidding and ordered Dye to put the money in the bag. The man came over the counter, and Dye noticed he had a black stun gun in his left hand. The man didn't threaten to use the stun gun, but aimed it in Dye's direction.

Dye told police he walked to the register and put all the cash in the bag. The man then casually walked out of the front door.

Police later determined the man had a stun gun and had stolen $212 from the business.

Other similar robberies included Dollar General at 1519 W. Walnut in Rogers on May 8, at the Murphy USA station at 2112 W. Walnut in Rogers on May 13 and at Career Academy of Hair Design at 346 E. Robinson Ave. in Springdale on May 14.

Bentonville and Rogers police met and were able to obtain video surveillance of the suspect and of the vehicle used in the Springdale robbery. Rogers police found a similar truck registered to Lacefield. The vehicle seen in surveillance and Lacefield's vehicle have similar body damage with shattered windshields and passenger mirrors ripped off.

Rogers police learned Lacefield was spotted at 1:04 a.m. May 15 traveling east on West Pleasant Grove. Police spoke with him at a Walmart Supercenter. Lacefield denied involvement in the robberies.

Rogers police placed a tracking device on Lacefield's vehicle, but he found it and removed it, then placed the device back on the vehicle.

Police searched Lacefield's home and found several guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Keith Foster, Rogers police spokesman, said Lacefield hasn't been arrested in connection with the robberies in Rogers.

Lacefield's arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. June 30 in Circuit Judge Robin Green's court.

NW News on 05/23/2014

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