Glen Carbon Police Announce Charges With Two Suspects After Armed Robbery, High-Speed Chase

GLEN CARBON - Glen Carbon Police Lt. Patrol Commander Wayne White announced the arrest and charges of a pair of suspects in the strong-armed robbery Wednesday night at the Wal Mart, 400 Junction Drive in Glen Carbon. The armed robbery then led to a high-speed chase into St. Louis County, before the arrests occurred.

Lt. White hosted a press conference at the Glen Carbon Police Station on Thursday afternoon to discuss information with present media representatives.

This was a statement by Lt. White: "At about 9:22 p.m. on December 30, 2020, Officers of the Glen Carbon Police Department responded to a 911 call of a strong armed robbery at Wal Mart 400 Junction Drive. En route, Glen Carbon officers learned two suspects had fled the scene, shooting at witnesses from their vehicle near the intersection of Highway 159 and Highway 270.

"A Glen Carbon police officer pursued the suspects along Highway 270 west-bound assisted by Madison County deputies and officers of the Pontoon Beach Police Department. This pursuit later terminated in St. Louis County near Shardell Drive and Poggemoeller Avenue, with both suspects being taken into custody.

Please see this Riverbender.com story for more on the arrests in St. Louis County:

https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/armed-robbery-and-assault-suspects-chased-from-glen-carbon-into-st-louis-county-one-suspect-shot-after-leaving-vehicle-46776.cfm

Lt. White explained that Officers of the Glen Carbon Police Department and Edwardsville Police Department meanwhile responded to Wal Mart to interview and attend to the medical needs of the robbery victim, a 45-year-old female, who was later transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Officers and detectives also interviewed witnesses and processed the crime scene for any evidence.

"As a result of this investigation, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office today issued warrants of arrest for Earl A. Barber, 41 years old, of the 200 block of South Clark Ave in Ferguson, Missouri, and Benjamin N. Smith, 48 years old, of the 9000 block of Cozens in St. Louis, Missouri," Lt. White said. "The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office charged each suspect with two felony counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, as well as one count of Robbery and one count of Unlawful Possession of Weapons by a Felon.

"The Honorable Judge Ronald Slemer signed Barber’s Warrant of Arrest and set his bail at $350,000 and signed Smith’s Warrant of Arrest and set his bail at $250,000. Barber and Smith are currently in custody in St. Louis County, pending extradition to Illinois. Chris Rhodes also contributed to this story.

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