Man in Fayetteville standoff charged with five February armed robberies

A man arrested after an hours-long standoff with police Tuesday is suspected of at least five armed robberies in the city in February, including two at the same Speedway gas station. 

Kenneth Earl Young, 39, is charged with five counts each of armed robbery, second-degree kidnapping, robbery with a deadly weapon, possession of stolen goods and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the charging documents. He is also charged with one count each of resisting a public officer, attempted robbery with a deadly weapon and obtaining property by false pretenses, jail records show.

Young was arrested about 11 p.m. Tuesday after Fayetteville police said he and Crystal Ann Kirby, 42 barricaded themselves inside a home in the 2500 block of Previs Drive for eight hours. Officers had gone to the home shortly after 3 p.m. to serve arrest warrants on Young for the string of robberies.

Kirby, 42, is charged in the standoff with resisting a public officer. She was also served with unrelated warrants charging her with common law robbery, conspiracy, possession of stolen goods and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Both Young and Kirby are being held without bail in the Cumberland County jail.

According to court and police records, Young stands accused of robbing:

• The Speedway at 3706 Raeford Road on Feb. 2 and Feb. 9.
• Tobacco Mart on Ireland Drive on Feb. 15.
• Speedway at 4560 Raeford Road on Feb. 26.
• Circle K on Hope Mills Road on Feb. 27.