Suspect in Thefts Smoked Out, Held

D.C. Man Accused of Stealing Cigarettes

The alleged Newport bandit has been nabbed.

Charles Lucas, 30, is accused of repeatedly stealing Newport brand cigarettes from the same Capitol Heights 7-Eleven store, Prince George's County police said. He was arrested Thursday morning at his District home.

The arrest came days after police released a surveillance photo of the suspect, who they said targeted the store six times, and a plea for help in tracking him down. The public answered, and a tipster led detectives to Lucas.

Officer Evan Baxter, a Prince George's police spokesman, said two warrants have been issued charging Lucas with armed robbery. He said Lucas is being held in the District pending extradition.

"Part of the reason why they were so hot to get that photo out is that he had stolen from that same 7-Eleven a half-dozen times," Baxter said. "He was on the most-wanted list for our District 3 detectives, who were quite excited to bring him in."

The thief, who wore no mask, first struck the convenience store at 2 a.m. June 12, then at 4:21 a.m. June 19, police said. He was back Sept. 6, Sept. 12, Sept. 25 and Oct.1. No one was harmed, and the man only talked of having a gun.

In each incident, police said, he waited until customers left the store and jumped over the counter. He grabbed cigarettes, filling a white bag to the brim. He took nothing but the smokes. A store employee said the thief preferred Newports, but if there weren't enough to fill his bag, he took Marlboros, Kools and cigars.