North Augusta sting nets attempted robbery suspect
By KAREN DAILY
Staff writer
North Augusta Public Safety investigators foiled a Belvedere man's plans to ambush and hold up an employee making a night depot at a North Augusta bank earlier this week, police reported Friday.
William Keith Hamilton Jr., 23, of Sanders Drive in Belvedere, is charged with attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Investigators said they were tipped off by an informant Wednesday about 7:30 p.m. that a man he knew had orchestrated plans to later that evening hold up a Family Dollar Tree manager while she was making her night deposit at the Bank of America on West Martintown Road.
The City's Criminal Investigation Division met with the informant and outfitted him with what the robber was told was a getaway car, recording equipment and a GPS tracking device, said North Augusta Public Safety Detective Tim Thornton.
Hamilton had recruited the tipster as his getaway driver.
As the investigation unraveled, detectives said the source proved himself to be a reliable informant and agreed to go along with the plan.
In the meantime, Public Safety contacted the Family Dollar Tree manager and told her she was not to go to the bank until after she heard back from the police officers involved in the undercover operation.
The tipster then called Hamilton back and told him he was on his way to pick him up.
The police went to the bank and waited until their informant arrived with Hamilton and parked in the driveway across the street from the bank.
"Hamilton got out and walked over to the bank toward the bushes next to the bank night deposit," the investigator stated. "Before Hamilton got to the bushes, officers arrested him and found he was carrying a 12-gauge shotgun and four extra shotgun shells in his front pocket.
He was arrested outside the bank.
The Dollar Tree's nightly deposit was made later without incident, investigators said.
Investigators said the attempted armed robbery is not connected with any other unsolved robberies in the area.
During the police interview, Hamilton told detectives he wanted to cooperate with their investigation.
He went on to say he was set up by the tipster and another man, and "just went along with what was going on," investigators said.
He did, however, admit that he was armed with the shotgun and that he intended to rob the night deposit carrier.
Investigators have said they believe Hamilton acted alone, except for recruiting a getaway driver.
He was taken to the Aiken County detention center.
