A photo lineup helped police identify a suspect in the Nov. 12 armed robbery of Cato's at 147 Walton Drive, Gaffney.

Gaffney Police Detective Sgt. Ron Ramsey has charged Douglas Edward Hayes, 43, of 419 E. Frederick St., Gaffney, with armed robbery.

Hayes was arrested Wednesday morning at Palmetto Bank on South Limestone St., Gaffney, while other Gaffney police were executing a search warrant at his home.

"I was able to develop a suspect in this case when an informant came forward with a name," the detective said. "I presented the victims with a photo lineup and both were able to positively identify Mr. Hayes as the person who robbed them."

According to an incident report, the suspect entered Cato's shortly before it closed at 6 p.m. and pretended to shop. He even paid for a shirt before producing a black and silver automatic pistol and pointing it at the employees, police said.

The suspect ordered two employees to give him cash from the registers and then ordered both of the employees inside a bathroom and left with approximately $700 in a Cato's bag. He also stole a woman's handbag.

An employee of The Shoe Show, which is located in the same plaza as Cato's, told police that a man fitting the description of the armed robber was hanging around that business shortly before their 6 p.m. closing time. The man was ushered out of the Shoe Show at closing time. The woman told police the man was seen running past their store and behind the strip mall at Friedman's Jewelry at 6:15 p.m.