Teamwork credited in robbers’ capture 9/6/2013

Published 12:00 am Friday, September 6, 2013

Teamwork credited in robbers’ capture

Three Tennessee men are behind bars after an armed robbery at the Kangaroo store in Sardis Tuesday afternoon.

Sardis Police Chief Chris Martin said teamwork helped nab the trio as they headed north on I-55 with less than $200 after the robbery.

“We had the Como police department, the sheriff’s department, task force agents and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation assisting with this case,” Martin said about the incident.
“They picked the wrong place at the wrong time, we were already on high alert,” the chief added, citing recent violence.

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Martin said the men had entered the store earlier in the day prior to the robbery, and returned after 5 p.m. Two of men came inside and one was holding a gun, according to the chief.

The car was initially stopped by Como Police Chief Earl Burdette just north of the Como exit on I-55.

“The dispatcher contacted  me and was already in the area, so I got up on the interstate in less than a minute,” Burdette told the Reporter.

Within seconds a car matching the description zoomed north and Burdette started pursuit.
“I got them stopped about a half-mile north of Como,” Burdette said.

The Como chief was able to get the driver to exit the vehicle and down on the pavement as the first Panola County Task Force agent, Gray Nichols, arrived on the scene.

“I was glad to see him, he got there quick,” the chief added.

As the two officers were securing the driver, the passenger remaining in the vehicle slid over and took off again.

Martin said Nichols and a second task force agent, Tyler  Mills, got the vehicle stopped near Senatobia and took the two remaining men in custody.

“They told me one person was laying down in the back seat, I didn’t know there were three of them,” Burdette added. “I knew they would catch them pretty quick, that Buick they were driving wasn’t a speedster.”

Martin said the MBI will handle the investigation.

He also said two police hires made Tuesday night at a Sardis Board of Alderman meeting gives his department a full staff.