Man arrested in Handee Hugo robbery

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington man faces charges in a convenience store robbery that happened earlier this month.

Wilmington Police say Ernest Allen, 45, is accused of entering the Handee Hugo on Shipyard Boulevard on July 11 and forcing an employee to open the register. Police say Allen put money in a bag and then ran out the front door.

Allen faces a long list of charges, including:

• Robbery with a dangerous weapon
• Two counts of breaking or entering motor vehicle
• Two counts of larceny
• Assault on a government official
• Two counts of financial card fraud
• Possession of stolen firearm
• Possession of firearm by a felon
• PWIMSD Cocaine
• Kidnapping
• Two counts of Resist/Delay/Obstruct public officers
• Reckless driving to endanger
• Fail to heed light/siren
• Hit/Run/Fail stop/leave the scene of property damage

Allen is in the New Hanover County jail under a $350,000 bond.

According to the NC Department of Public Safety, Allen has a long list of prior convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon and larceny charges, among others.