Two male suspects were arrested shorthly after midnight yesterday morning, due to suspicious activity in the rear of Fusz Food Court. According to the Department of Public Safety, the two armed suspects were hiding in the loading docks of the food court.
DPS believes that the suspects were waiting for the food court manager to leave so they could then rob him.
When the suspects saw the DPS officers, they dropped their weapons and took off running. Lieutenants Art Matthew and Donett Bernaugh chased the individuals down and arrested them at 3732 Forest Park Parkway.
After examination of the weapons, DPS determined that the weapons were automatic but not loaded or operational. It is believed that the suspects’ motive was to rob the manager and use the weapons to scare them, said Jack Titone, director of DPS.
Warrants were issued for the two individuals for the unlawful use of a weapon, the defacing of a weapon by removing the serial number and trespassing on University property. According to Titone, additional warrants will be issued later this week.
DPS is working with the 9th District St. Louis Police Department as well as the Richmond Heights Police Department, as the two suspects could possibly be linked to several robberies that have taken place in Midtown, the Central West End and the Richmond Heights Galleria area.
“We suspect these two men to be responsible for the various ATM crimes in the area, as well as being involved in the robbery of two students in front of the ROTC building” located on Forest Park Parkway behind the Shell Sattion, Titone said.
DPS had received information about two weeks ago that a robbery may take place at the food court at closing time in the same manner of the robbery of last April. DPS initiated an additional detail of officers to the area and both uniformed officers and undercover officers were stationed in the food court to prevent danger to the students.
“I want to stress that at no time were students in any jeopardy,” Titone said. “There was excellent police work by the officers on detail and lieutenants that made the arrest.”
