CONCORD - A local man, arrested Monday morning in the knife robbery of a Cumberland Farms store, is suspected of robbing Wal-Mart the same day, according to police.

James Earl Rand, 44, of Concord, was arrested early Monday morning and charged with armed robbery, resisting arrest or detention, attempted theft of a motor vehicle, false report to law enforcement, and two counts of false swearing.

Police said they continue to investigate a second robbery Sunday of Wal-Mart, 344 Loudon Road. Evidence in that case points to Rand as the suspect, according to Lt. Timothy O’Malley. The investigation into the Wal-Mart robbery continues, however.

Police said Rand was armed with a knife and walked into Cumberland Farms about 11:45 p.m. Sunday and ordered an employee to open the cash register. Rand grabbed cash from the drawer, then ordered the employee to give him her car keys, police said.

The robber fled the store and the clerk called 911.

Officers responding to the scene saw a man matching the description of the robber running away from the store. Officers yelled for him to stop, but he continued to run although police eventually caught up to him.

Initially, the man, who police identified as Rand, said his name was “Tony Brown.” Police arrested “Tony Brown” for the robbery, but once he was at the police station, he was positively identified as Rand.

Investigators also discovered the store clerk’s keys in the ignition of her car. Police said evidence in the car, which has a standard transmission, suggested Rand had been in it.

O’Malley said he does not know if Rand was unable to drive off because he doesn’t know how to drive a stickshift.

“That may have been what saved the car (from being stolen), but I don’t have the specifics,” he said. However, O’Malley said the evidence in the case supported the charge of attempted theft of a motor vehicle.