Three men were in custody Wednesday charged in connection with a string of armed robberies at convenience and cellular phone stores in Pitt County

Three men were in custody Wednesday charged in connection with a string of armed robberies at convenience and cellular phone stores in Pitt County, authorities said.

James Arthur Acklin Jr., 19, of 2821 Best Road, Greenville, was charged Wedensday with multiple counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping, and a count of second-degree trespassing, jail records indicated.

He was held at the Pitt County Detention Center on a $500,500 secured bond, jail officials said.

Julius Deshawn Hobbs, 21, of 2703 Webb St., was charged Wednesday with robbery with a dangerous weapon and nonsupport of a child. His bond was set at $251,382, jail records stated.

Also in custody was Marquail Earl Mouring, 21, of 708 McDowell St. He faces a charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was held Wednesday on a $50,000 secured bond.

Acklin and Mouring were previously out on bond for the Nov. 11, 2010 armed robbery of the Wingate Inn on South Memorial Drive, according to Greenville police.

The men have been connected to numerous hold-ups at Kangaroo Express convenience stores and U.S. Cellular locations in Greenville, Ayden, Winterville and other parts of the county, authorities said.

More than 15 armed robberies have been reported in April; at least eight were at the Kangaroo and U.S. Cellular locations in Greenville and Pitt County.

The most recent heist occurred at 9 p.m. Tuesday, when masked gunman stole $1,080 from the U.S. Cellular store at 205 S.W. Greenville Blvd., police reports indicated.

Information gathered by the city's Crime Analysis Unit, and through interviews, surveillance and directed patrols near cellular stores around the boulevard aided officers, who quickly saturated the area and were able to identify key witnesses to the robbery, police said in a news release issued early Wednesday.

The suspects were detained following a traffic stop by Sheriff Neil Elks and his wife, Greenville police Detective Connie Elks, who has been working on the case with Sheriff's Detective Walt Stancil. The Elks' were in the car together when the stop was made.

Investigators searched the vehicle and an apartment at the Landing apartment complex along Charles Boulevard and found a handgun and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The gun, a revolver, appears to be the same weapon that had been used in previous armed robberies based on video evidence, police said.