Police arrest woman accused of kidnapping, robbing 2 people in the Triangle

The story was updated at 2 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022.

Chapel Hill police reported Wednesday night that a woman who may be responsible for kidnapping and robbing people at gunpoint Monday in Durham and Orange counties has been arrested.

Alicia Inez Moles, 38, of Hillsborough, was taken to the Orange County jail around 11 p.m. Tuesday, Hillsborough officials said in a news update. The bond amount set for her release could not be immediately obtained.

Police reported the first incident around 6 a.m. Monday at the State Employees Credit Union at 2313 Old N.C. 86 in Hillsborough.

The victim told police he was approached while in his car at a Hillsborough gas station by a woman asking for a ride home. The man said the woman then took out a firearm and demanded that he drive her to an ATM to withdraw money from his bank account, police said.

The victim gave the woman money, and she left the car, fleeing on foot, police said.

Later on Monday, another person called 911 to report an armed kidnapping and robbery, Chapel Hill police said in a separate release.

The preliminary investigation in that case found that Moles held a victim at gunpoint around 6 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of New Hope Commons, located at 5454 New Hope Commons Drive in Durham, Chapel Hill police reported. Moles then forced the victim to drive to an ATM at 851 Willow Drive in Chapel Hill and withdraw cash, police said. Moles took the money and left, they said.

Hillsborough police have charged Moles with armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon, they said, adding that additional charges are possible.

Chapel Hill police have charged Moles with second-degree kidnapping, armed robbery and assault by pointing a gun, according to the Chapel Hill release.

State corrections records showed Moles has been in and out of legal custody since 2006 on a variety of traffic and criminal charges, and was last released from state prison on Nov. 15, after serving over nine years for assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

In addition to the Orange County charges, court records showed she also is facing two misdemeanor charges in Alamance County for larceny and injury to personal property, and one misdemeanor in Durham County for shoplifting.

Hearings in both counties are set for Jan. 17. A date has not been set yet for the Orange County charges.

Anyone with information about Moles or the crimes can call 911 or the Hillsborough or Chapel Hill police departments.

In Hillsborough, contact Sgt. Will Felts by email or at 919-296-9553. Anonymous crime tips can be reported by calling 919-296-9555, using the See it, Say it, Send it app or website, or by sending a message to police through the Hillsborough department’s Facebook page.

In Chapel Hill, callers can reach police by calling 919-968-2760 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Callers who wish to remain anonymous also can leave a message with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro-UNC Crimestoppers at 919-942-7515 or at chapelhillcrimestoppers.com. Information that leads to an arrest could be eligible for a reward up to $2,000.