Brandon Lee Martin, 23, leaves the Gaffney Police Department on his way to the Cherokee County Detention Center after being questioned Wednesday. (Ledger photo / TIM GULLA) ALL THREE ARE CHARGED WITH BEING ACCESSORIES AFTER THE FACT

A 23-year-old Gaffney man accused of trying to rob a city bank, and then robbing a popular truck stop just minutes later, allegedly began his Wednesday morning crime spree by taking a woman's car without permission and shoplifting the ski mask and camouflage jacket he wore during the robberies from a Wal-mart.

Brandon Lee Martin, whose last known address is Maggie Drive, had his bond set at $50,000 for the attempted bank robbery and was denied bond on the charge of armed robbery in connection with the subsequent stick-up of Norma's Truck Stop.

While police say Martin acted alone during both the 9:10 a.m. attempted robbery of a First Piedmont Federal Savings and Loan branch on West Floyd Baker Boulevard and the 9:43 a.m. robbery of Norma's Truck Stop off Exit 95 of Interstate 85, three other people have been accused of helping him after the incidents.

RYAN PRICE Following the Norma's Truck Stop robbery, Martin allegedly ditched the 2003 Mitsubishi Gallant he was driving on Norman Boulevard and then obtained a ride away from the neighborhood with two women, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

Chief Deputy Joel Hill said Neely Rae Foster, 36, of Norman Boulevard, and Kayla Danielle Lovingood, 20, also of Norman Boulevard, were both charged as being accessories after the fact for allegedly assisting Martin in leaving the area.

Also charged was Ryan Christopher Price, 18, of Oak Street, Cowpens, who allegedly provided false information to police during the investigation of the armed robbery, Hill said.

While Hill couldn't say exactly where Martin went after fleeing the Norman Boulevard area, he said police later received information about the vehicle Martin could be found in and his whereabouts.

"We were able to stop the vehicle on Estelle Road and he was apprehended," Hill said.

The two women charged in the case were already in police custody at the time of Martin's capture.

KAYLA LOVINGOOD Gaffney Police Chief Rick Turner said security video evidence showed Martin circling the First Piedmont Federal branch office on West Floyd Baker Boulevard before the 9:10 a.m. incident.

Turner said a bank employee told police that Martin even stopped to ask what time the bank opened.

Martin then allegedly parked his vehicle in the lot behind the Kentucky Fried Chicken, which is across Gettys Drive from the bank.

At 9:10 a.m., a man wearing an orange ski mask and camouflage coat entered the bank with a pistol drawn. Turner said bank employees saw him enter and ducked behind their counters. Witnesses further told police the gun had a red or orange tip, signifying it might have been a BB or pellet gun.

While Turner declined to reveal exactly what happened next, he said, "The way we're putting it, an employee of the bank advised him he better leave. And he (Martin) did."

No money was taken from the bank.

Several reports suggested an armed bank official scared the robber away, but the bank official could not be reached for immediate comment.

NEELY FOSTER Martin is then accused of driving to Norma's Truck Stop, where witnesses said a man wearing an orange ski cap and camouflage coat approached the front counter and demanded money from Tammy Gamble, the cashier.

Gamble said she never saw the robber enter and only noticed him when he was standing right in front of her.

"Give me all your money," the robber demanded. Gamble said the robber then told her he didn't want any trouble.

The robber had a gun. "It was in the front of his pants," Gamble said. "He never pointed it at me, but he let me know he had one."

At the time of the robbery, there were at least 20 customers in the restaurant and four people were in line waiting to pay their bills.

"It was full (in here)," Gamble said. "He had a lot of nerve."

Gamble said she dropped some money on the floor while trying to empty the cash register. She was told to pick up the money, and accidentally banged her head on the cash register drawer when she attempted to stand back up.

Gamble said the robber was actually polite about the situation. "He said, 'Sorry about that,'" she said.

The robber fled to a dark-colored vehicle, which was parked on the nearby frontage road. Police said $385 was taken from the cash register.

Just a few minutes later, police received a call that a Mitsubishi Galant had been ditched on Norman Boulevard and the driver had fled on foot.

An intense manhunt involving Cherokee County Sheriff's Office bloodhounds and a helicopter from the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office ensued, but no one was found at the scene.

Police took the ditched Mitsubishi Galant into evidence and also recovered an orange ski mask, a camouflage coat and some type of pistol from a field near the car.

Ironically, police already were on the lookout for Martin for almost 20 minutes before the time of the bank incident. At 8:50 a.m. Wednesday, police reports indicate a Gaffney officer had responded to Beech Street to take a report that Martin had driven away in a woman's 2003 Mitsubishi without her consent and E-911 dispatchers made a general announcement just minutes later for all city, county and Blacksburg police to be on the lookout.

While Gaffney police were investigating the bank incident, Chief Turner noted that witnesses from the bank had remarked how "new" the ski mask and camouflage coat looked. An officer decided to check out Walmart and found fresh racks of those items in the store.

Turner said police then requested security video and he said the video allegedly captured Martin stuffing the items into his pants and leaving the store without paying.

Martin hasn't been charged with shoplifting at Walmart. "That's more or less up to Walmart if they want to prosecute," the chief said.

Martin was charged by Gaffney police with entering a bank with intent to steal, a state charge that Turner said carries up to 30 years imprisonment.

Federal investigators were involved in the probe of the bank incident as well, though there was no word Thursday if there would be any federal charges.

"If at a later time the federal authorities want to come in and charge him federally, we'll work with them in doing so," Turner said.

Martin was interviewed at the Gaffney Police Department on Wednesday afteroon. Turner declined to discuss any statements Martin might have given.