CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. Cape Girardeau police say an adult and three juveniles have been arrested following an armed robbery at a home on the 500 block of S. Sprigg Street on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Officers responded to the home at about 9:30 p.m. after the victim reported that four suspects forced their way inside and stole a gaming console and a backpack, according to the Cape Girardeau Police Department release reported by KFVS12. The victim told police three of the suspects were juveniles and one was an adult, and said all four were armed with handguns and short-barrel rifles, KBSI FOX23 reported.
While investigating that report, officers went to a home in the 100 block of S. Ellis Street. As officers approached, a man tried to flee but retreated inside when he saw officers, according to WPSD Local 6. Police identified him as 18-year-old Malachi Harris of Cape Girardeau, who opened the door and then ran back inside when he saw officers, KFVS12 reported.
Officers followed Harris into the residence and called the occupants into the kitchen. Harris was the last to enter and refused officers’ commands, and he was taken into custody after resisting, police said. A probable cause statement quoted by the Southeast Missourian describes an officer giving multiple orders for Harris to sit down before a physical altercation ended with him in handcuffs.
Inside the S. Ellis home, officers found two juvenile suspects and an AK-47-style pistol. A third juvenile suspect was taken into custody around 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, KBSI reported. All three juveniles were turned over to the Cape Girardeau County Juvenile Office.
Harris was charged with a Class A misdemeanor of resisting arrest under state statute 575.150 and is being held on a $10,000 cash-only bond, KBSI reported. The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office inmate roster lists him as booked at 10:29 p.m. Nov. 11 by Cape PD on a $10,000 bond.
Police have not said whether Harris is the adult suspect in the robbery itself. Investigators identified a fourth suspect, an adult, and forwarded the case to the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review of possible charges, KBSI reported. KFVS12 said charges against an adult in the alleged robbery are pending.
The Southeast Missourian, citing court documents, described police as interrupting a burglary in progress and characterized the episode as an attempted theft of the gaming console and backpack, while the police release calls the incident an armed robbery.
It was not immediately clear whether the stolen items were recovered. The identities and ages of the juveniles were not released.
Harris is charged with a misdemeanor only. All charges in this story are accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Anyone with information about the investigation can contact the Cape Girardeau Police Department at 573-335-6621.