Wilmington man heads to prison for holding up convenience store with box cutter

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington man will spend about a decade in prison after robbing a gas station earlier this year.

Roger Yates, 42, pleaded guilty today to robbery with a dangerous weapon for his role in robbing the Kangaroo Gas Station at 6480 Market Street on July 2.

Judge W. Allen Cobb Yates to sentenced the defendant to between 8 years 7 months and 11 years 4 months behind bars.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, the cashier at the Kangaroo reported to police at midnight on July 2 that a white male came into the store, asked to go to the bathroom and then came at her behind the counter with a silver box cutter in his hand. She said he demanded money from the register and left the store with some cash.

After giving surveillance images to officers, Wilmington Police were able to identity the robber as Yates and arrested him later that day in the parking lot of the Budgetel Hotel on Market Street.