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North Charleston, SC - North Charleston Police and their SWAT team surrounded an Ashley Phosphate Motel 6 Tuesday night. Police say 24-year-old Mark E. Seifts barracaded himself in a room when police tried serving a search warrant.
N.C.P.D. Deputy Chief Reggie Burgess says Seifts may have robbed the Candlewood Suites earlier Tuesday. Investigation led authorities to the motel, but Seifts did not cooperate when they arrived and he would not leave the room.
After hours of negotiations, Burgess says they were able to convince him to come out.
"We took our time. His parents came out. We were trying to negotiate with our negotiators with speaking with him and we actually found a way to get him out with any harms," Burgess said.
North Charleston Police told us on Tuesday afternoon that they were searching for the suspect from the Candlewood Suites, that may be connected to five other lowcountry robberies. Those robberies include businesses in West Ashley, North Charleston, and Summerville.
After spending the day investigating the Ashley Phosphate area, where the Candlewood robbery took place, it led police to the motel.
Police evacuated the building for hours. David Graves, who lives at the motel with his family, was outside in the parking lot with his two children waiting.
"I'm shocked. I've got my kids in this hotel and its amazing how detrimental it could have been to my kids if something really bad would have happened and we would have been in the room," Graves said.
Police say Seifts will most probably appear in bond court later Wednesday.
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