Woman Followed Home From Walmart And Robbed; Johnston County Deputies Release Suspects’ Photos

SMITHFIELD, NC – Authorities in Johnston County are investigating a robbery that occurred Friday, November 8, when a 66-year-old woman was reportedly followed from a Walmart in Smithfield to her rural home in the Four Oaks area and robbed.

According to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), the incident began around 8:09 p.m. in the Walmart parking lot on N. Brightleaf Boulevard. The victim was loading groceries into her car and struggling with a heavy item when an unknown man approached and offered assistance, helping her place the item in her vehicle.

The woman later told deputies she had a feeling she was being followed but did not see a vehicle upon arriving at her home off Devil’s Racetrack Road. While carrying groceries into her house, she was approached by two unknown males, one of whom indicated they had a shotgun. The suspects grabbed her purse, which contained her cell phone, cash, and financial cards, before fleeing in an unknown vehicle parked on the roadway.

The victim sustained minor injuries in the robbery.

Following the incident, the stolen credit cards were used at businesses in Benson, Selma, and Smithfield.

The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office is seeking three persons of interest in the case:

• Person 1: A tall Black male, 18 to 20 years old, wearing a gray sweatshirt and blue jeans.
• Person 2: A Black male, 18 to 20 years old, wearing a gray sweatshirt, black toboggan, and black pants.
• Person 3: A Black male, 18 to 20 years old, wearing a brown sweatshirt.

Anyone with information that could assist in identifying the suspects is urged to contact the JCSO Detectives Division at 919-989-5020. Callers may remain anonymous.

While Smithfield Police Chief Pete Hedrick noted there have been no other reports of people being followed from the Walmart parking lot, authorities have increased patrols in the area as a precaution.