Teen charged as adult in Dollar General robberies

BENTONVILLE — Prosecutors on Tuesday charged a 17-year-old from Oklahoma as an adult in connection with the armed robbery of two Dollar General stores this weekend.

Chance Rowe is charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, theft of property, theft by receiving and possession of a defaced firearm, all felonies; and theft of property, a misdemeanor.

Bentonville police arrested Rowe and Zachary Lucero, 26, of Bentonville on Sunday in connection with the armed robbery of the Dollar General at 2107 S. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville. Two males, one armed with a handgun, entered the store Sunday morning and took less than $1,000, according to court documents.

Police arrested Lucero and Rowe at Flagstone Creek Apartments at 4501 S.W. Brooklyn Ave. They had a handgun reported stolen in Fort Gibson, Okla., according to police.

Lucero and Rowe also were arrested in connection with the armed robbery of the Dollar General at 1201 S. Eighth St. in Rogers on Saturday. Two males, who stole $2,900 from the store, left the store in a white sports utility vehicle, according to a Rogers police news release.

Bentonville police were aware of a similar vehicle in connection with a purse theft last month. Two men fled from the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Walton Boulevard after they stole a purse May 28, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Bentonville police later took a forgery report related to the attempted cashing of a check inside the stolen purse. The check was made out to Zach Lucero, according to the affidavit.

Officer Ken Trimberger got a photograph of Lucero and thought he was of one of the men shown in surveillance video released by Rogers police, according to the affidavit.

Trimberger went to Southwest Brooklyn Avenue at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, and saw a white 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander at the scene. He later went to the robbery at the Dollar General in Bentonville. He returned to the apartments, but the Outlander was no longer there.

Trimberger parked near the apartments and the car returned. Lucero and Rowe were arrested, according to the affidavit.

Police found a large amount of cash in Lucero’s pocket. Police also found a gun Rowe threw in a trash can as police approached, according to court documents.

Lucero is in a relationship with Rowe’s mother, according to the affidavit. Rowe lives in Oklahoma with his father, but was in Bentonville to visit his mother, according to the affidavit. The affidavit didn’t say what Oklahoma city Rowe is from.

Lucero was being held in the Benton County Jail on a $75,000 bond Tuesday. He was arrested in connection with aggravated robbery, theft of property and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Prosecutors haven’t filed formal charges against Lucero. His arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. July 17 in Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green’s court.