Rodney Lamont Chaplin

Forty-three-year-old Rodney Lamont Chaplin was arrested this morning by Beaufort County Sheriff's Office investigators in connection with the October 22nd armed robbery of the Dairy Queen on Lady's Island.

Investigators acting on information received, located Chaplin at a residence off of Dulamo Road on St. Helena at approximately 9:00 this morning. Chaplin, who was wanted on an outstanding Family Court bench warrant, was taken into custody without incident. This afternoon, he was also formally charged with a single count of Armed Robbery for the Dairy Queen robbery.

Just after 9:00 pm On October 22nd, Sheriff's deputies responded to the Dairy Queen located at 114 Sea Island Parkway on Lady's Island in reference to a reported armed robbery. Upon their arrival, store employees advised that a black male subject wearing a dark-hooded sweatshirt, shorts and white sneakers had entered the store, forced two of the employees behind the front counter, and demanded they open the register.

Even though the suspect never brandished a definable weapon during the incident, he had kept his hand under his sweatshirt, giving the appearance that he may have been armed. After taking an undisclosed amount Sunset Boulevard.

After review of the store's video surveillance footage, the suspect was positively identified as Rodney Chaplin. Following his arrest this morning, Chaplin was transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center, where he remains awaiting a bond hearing.