HAMPTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Two teens were arrested and held without bail after being involved in a gas station robbery on January 31st. Hampton Police were dispatched to the Speedway on Lafayette Road around 2 a.m., with the caller saying that “a group of people” had stolen alcohol from the store.
Officers learned that a struggle had occurred between the store clerk and two suspects in the parking lot. One of the suspects was accused of grabbing alcohol from the store and fleeing. During the scuffle, the same suspect “pulled out what the clerk believed to be (was) a handgun,” said Deputy Chief Alex Reno.
“In response to the perceived threat, the clerk withdrew from the scuffle and produced a firearm that he had on his person. The clerk fired a single round at the vehicle. The subjects exited the vehicle and fled the area on foot,” Reno added.
Descriptions of the suspects were issued to law enforcement agencies in the area, and North Hampton and Seabrook officers as well as New Hampshire State Police troopers joined HPD officers in their search.
About 40 minutes later, police received a call about two men attempting to break into vehicles on Towle Avenue. “Officers responded to the area and upon arrival, the two subjects ran from the first responding officer,” Reno said. “The officer caught up to and took one of the males into custody.”
That man was later identified as Cameron Ayers, 19, of North Hampton. In addition to being accused of stealing the alcohol and pulling the gun in the Speedway incident, the officers also allege that he was in possession of drug paraphernalia, “items that were taken from a vehicle on Towle Avenue, and tools commonly used to perpetrate break-ins,” Reno added.
He was charged with felony robbery, possession of burglary tools, theft from a motor vehicle, loitering and prowling, resisting arrest or detention, and unlawful possession of alcohol charges. He was held without bail.
Responding to a prowler call, a K-9 team located a suspect in a backyard on Academy Avenue. James Dustin, 19, of Hampton was charged with two counts of loitering and prowling, unlawful possession of alcohol, criminal trespass, and resisting arrest. On probation and wanted on an active warrant for criminal trespassing in 2020, he was held without bail.
Both men were scheduled for arraignment in Rockingham County Superior Court. Reno said the investigation into the incident was on-going and more charges might be issued in the case. Ayers also has a record from 2020, when he was charged with three counts of robbery, two with a weapon, as well as criminal threatening, witness tampering, and simple assault. He took a plea deal on the threat and assault charges and the robbery charges were dropped.
