UPDATE: Walmart Armed Robbery Suspects in Custody

Update: April 11

Shane Neal Durden, 33, was arrested by Rockdale County authorities on Wednesday night and remains in the Gwinnett County Detention Center charged with aggravated assault. He also has four holds on him for other agencies. His female passenger, Amber Smith, 23, of Loganville, was arrested earlier and is in Walton County Detention Center.

Prior to the chase, the two were wanted in connection with several incidents, including Tuesday's armed robbery at Mr. Jeff's convenience store on Highway 81 in Loganville. Walton County Sheriff's Office reports that on April 9, a white female and a white male robbed the convenience store. They were later identified as having warrants out of Rockdale County for armed robbery as well.

According to the Rockdale Citizen, Durden was armed with a shotgun when arrested, but made no attempt to use it. In addition to the charges in Walton County, the Rockdale Citizen reports that Durden and Smith were wanted in connection with an April 2 Flash Foods armed robbery in Rockdale County, a carjacking in DeKalb County and an armed robbery in the Food Depot parking lot on Salem Road in Conyers. Gwinnett County authorities are reported to be charging him in connection with an aggravated assault in which he allegedly shot a man twice in the chest. Smith is facing armed robbery charges in Dekalb and Rockdale counties as well as Walton County.

Original story

Loganville Police Chief Mike McHugh said a man who pulled a gun on a employee at the Loganville Walmart on Wednesday was taken into custody just after 8 p.m. Wednesday evening. McHugh said the suspect is Shane Durden, born in 1980.

The incident began Wednesday afternoon when members of the Loganville Police Department were called to Walmart on a shoplifting call. The suspect then allegedly pulled a gun on a Walmart employee before escaping in a car. A car chase ensued down Highway 20 from Walton County, and then on into Rockdale and Dekalb County, where Durden subsequently wrecked. A female passenger in the car was taken into custody, but Durden managed to escape on foot. A helicopter and canines were called in.

Durden is wanted in several jurisdictions for suspect armed robbery, weapons violations and aggravated assault. He also is linked to an armed robbery at a Walton County convenience store on Tuesday, McHugh said.

"He has warrants for several crimes, including armed robbery, weapons violations and aggravated assault, out of several jurisdictions including Walton County, Rockdale, Gwinnett and Dekalb County," McHugh said. "As luck would have it, he ended up in our Walmart here in Loganville."