A tip to Forrest City Crimestoppers has resulted in eight local incidents of aggravated robbery being solved, according to the Forrest City Police Department.
As a result of the information received from Crimestoppers and the follow up investigation, three people have been arrested, and more arrests are expected, according to Detective Lt. Dwight Duch of the FCPD.
The arrests were made Friday.
The first robbery occurred on October 3, 2001. The Days Inn Hotel was robbed by two subjects using a knife. The men took cash and checks. Jermaine Johnson, 26, of 1947 Williams Street in Forrest City, has been arrested on aggravated robbery charges.
On Oct. 18, 2001, a suspect dressed as a woman entered First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas in an attempt to rob the bank. The suspect was unable to get any money. Johnson has been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery.
On Feb. 2 of this year, a suspect robbed Pizza for Less. Johnson has also been arrested in connection with this incident and charged with aggravated robbery.
On March 2, a suspect robbed the ticket window at Broadway Twin Cinema. A second suspect was seen in the parking lot with the robber. Arrested in connection with this robbery are Johnson and his brother, Altovise Swift, 28, of 1947 Williams Street. Both were charged with aggravated robbery and possession of firearms by certain persons.
On March 25, a suspect pulled a gun on a woman leaving the Wal-Mart store. Taken during the robbery were her truck, groceries and other items inside the truck. Altovise Swift and April Hall, 19, of 944 Rice Street, Forrest City, were arrested in connection with the case. Swift has been charged with aggravated robbery and possession of firearms by certain persons. Hall has been charged with aggravated robbery.
On April 4, two women reported that a man got into the back seat of their car and then shot several times in the car and made them get out. The suspect sole the vehicle, cash and jewelry.Johnson has been arrested in connection with this incident, and charged with aggravated robbery.
On April 8, a man entered the Ho Ho Restaurant and robbed it at gunpoint. The suspect fled the scene taking cash and keys from the store. Jermaine Johnson was arrested in connection with this case and is charged with aggravated robbery.
In an unconnected case, Hall was arrested for felony criminal mischief as a result of inspections done by the Forrest City Housing Authority, where an estimated $3,000 damage was done to an apartment.
According to Duch, Swift was already in jail on parole violation charges and charges from the St. Francis County Sheriff's office. Johnson and Hall were also in jail on charges from the St. Francis County Sheriff's Office. All three were arrested on the new charges Friday, April 29 and were scheduled to appear in St. Francis County District Court this afternoon.
Anyone with information concerning crimes is asked to call Forrest City Crimestoppers at (870) 261-1499. Tipsters remain anonymous and a reward of up to $1,000 is offered on solved cases.