Gastonia, N.C. - December 9, 2022: Officers from the Gastonia Police Department (GPD) arrested and charged Matthew Westin Norwood, age 37, of Gastonia for the armed robbery of a business and the later carjacking of a 70-year-old man’s truck that occurred yesterday afternoon.
At approximately 2:00 p.m. on December 8, GPD officers responded to the N.C. Tobacco and Vape store located at 1811 S. New Hope Road for an armed robbery that just occurred.
During the investigation, officers determined a male suspect entered the store, displayed a knife, and stole property from the store. While attempting the flee the store, the suspect threatened a store employee with the knife. Witnesses reported the suspect was last seen fleeing the area on a bicycle.
At approximately 2:50 p.m., GPD officers responded to a call for a carjacking that just occurred outside a home on Ridgewood Drive. The 70-year-old victim told officers that a male approached him, knocked him down, and stole his truck. The victim further told officers that the suspect had a bicycle with him and that the suspect threw the bike in the back of the truck before fleeing in the truck.
Officers in the area saw the stolen truck traveling on Titman Road near Lowell-Bethesda Road. The driver initially refused to stop and officers pursued the truck to the 900 block of Gaston Road where the driver was stopped. Officers identified the driver as Norwood and located evidence in the truck from the tobacco and vape store robbery.
Norwood was arrested and transported to the Gaston County Jail where he was charged with robbery, assault, theft, felony fleeing to elude, and reckless driving. He is being held on a $325,000 bond.
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Matthew Westin Norwood
