Man accused of robbing businesses at knifepoint

A Texarkana, Ark., man has been charged in a series of recent robberies at businesses on New Boston Road.

The suspect, Demarco Martin, allegedly committed two of those robberies at the same convenience store two days in a row, according to Shawn Vaughn, Texarkana, Texas, police spokesman.

Martin was arrested Saturday afternoon after a robbery at that convenience store, Pasco’s Shell, at 3400 New Boston Road.

“Martin entered the store and got a six-pack of beer from the cooler. As he approached the cash register, he removed a pocketknife from his pants and demanded that the clerk give him the money from the register,” Vaughn said.

As the suspect fled with the beer and cash, a customer followed and caught up to him. Martin gave the cash to the customer and then fled. He was stopped shortly afterward by police at Old Boston and Belt roads, then arrested and taken to the Bi-State Justice Building jail.

Authorities then determined that Martin was responsible for three other robberies over the previous week: at Family Dollar, 3003 New Boston Road on Aug. 22; Check into Cash, 2808 New Boston Road on Aug. 25; and at Pasco’s Shell on Friday.

In each robbery, employees were threatened with a pocketknife with a demand for money.

Martin is being held on four counts of aggravated robbery. Bond was set at $100,000 for each charge.