SUSPECT BEING SOUGHT IN CONNECTION TO ARMED ROBBERY AT BUTLER COUNTY INTERNET CAFE
Authorities in Butler County are investigating a reported armed robbery.
Investigator Randal Huddleston, with the Butler County Sheriff’s Department, says the robbery occurred early Monday morning at an area internet café.
Here’s Huddleston with more.
RANDAL HUDDLESTON:
On Monday morning around 5:45 a.m. Butler County deputies were dispatched to the internet cafe on Highway 53 in reference to the report of an armed robbery. Upon their arrival, deputies were advised that a white male wearing black sweatpants with black shorts over them and a long sleeve black shirt wearing a paintball mask entered the internet Café. He appeared to be very unfamiliar with the layout of the premises. His main goal was to get to the back room where the safe was at. It took him approximately two to three minutes to locate that back room. Once there he kicked the door into the room. An employee who was monitoring the cameras in that room at that time was ordered at gunpoint on the ground and made to open the safe. The cashier also advised us that the white male suspect was carrying a black semi-automatic hand gun. The total amount of cash that the suspect ended up with was around $671. The suspect then left the building and fled the scene in what is believed to be a tan to gold color Malibu or Impala. At this point in time the Butler County Sheriff's Department is following numerous leads in this case. If anyone has information or knows who the suspect or the car might belong to, they are urged to call the Butler County Sheriff's Department at 785-8444.
911 SERVICES IN MULTIPLE SOUTHEAST MISSOURI COUNTIES POSSIBLY INTERUPTED ON MONDAY
Multiple counties in Southeast Missouri experienced interruption to phone services and possible 911 services Monday due to damage to a fiber optic line.
Officials tell us the outages possibly affected Stoddard, Dunklin, and Scott Counties.
Personnel with Verizon Wireless and Local Exchange Carrier were on scene and working to restore service.
APPROACH REPAIRS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY IN BUTLER COUNTY
Route N in Butler County will be reduced to one lane today as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform approach repairs.
The work zone is located between County Road 214 and County Road 243.
Weather permitting, work will performed from 6:30 am to 3:30 pm.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELEASED ABOUT THEFT FROM AREA VEHICLE DEALERSHIP
Updating a story we brought to you yesterday, officials in Poplar Bluff have released more information about the thefts of tires and wheels from an area vehicle dealership.
We spoke with Lieutenant Josh Stewart with the Poplar Bluff Police Department about the thefts.
JOSH STEWART:
On Sunday at approximately 9 o'clock a.m. employees of Baldwin GMC located in the 400 block of South 11th Street reported locating several vehicles on the lot which had had tires and wheels removed. The vehicles had been set down on concrete blocks. The damages and losses estimated between 10 and 20 thousand dollars. Throughout the investigation it was determined that a white van, originally stolen from a Cape Girardeau dealership on July 30th, was used during the theft. This van was used also in the theft from a dealership in Cape Girardeau that same date to steal four sets of wheels and tires. The van is described as a 2007 Ford E150 bearing Illinois registration 60910 Union. The similar thefts have been reported throughout the multi-state area. Some of these locations include Collinsville, Illinois, Germantown, Highland, Carlisle, Overland Park, Kansas, Dexter, and Cape Girardeau. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Poplar Bluff Police Department at 573-785-5776.
Pictures of the suspect van are available on the KWOC Facebook page.
TWO ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY BEING SEEN LEAVING VACANT RESIDENCE WITH SEVERAL ITEMS
Two people are facing a burglary charge after they were allegedly observed leaving a vacant residence in Poplar Bluff with several items.
Lieutenant Darron Moore with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tells us more about the incident.
DARRON MOORE:
On Saturday afternoon around 3 p.m. officers responded to the 1200 Block of South 11th Street after receiving a call from a witness saying she has observed a white male and female leaving a vacant residence with several items and loading those items into a white truck. The officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and contacted its occupants Ronnie Duren and Cherrie Schnitker and asked them about the property in the bed of the truck. Both claimed ownership of the property. Officers checked the residence in question and discovered an open window into the residence. The owner of the building responded to the location and identified the property as belonging to him. Both Duren and Schnitker were lodged in the Butler County Justice Center on charges of 2nd degree burglary. Duren also had outstanding warrants through Butler County for receiving stolen property, passing bad checks, and a city warrant for assault.
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB MOVES TO POPLAR BLUFF MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS
The Poplar Bluff Boys and Girls Club is relocating to the Poplar Bluff Middle School campus due to damage to the club’s previous home.
Structural damage was discovered on the roof of the Hentz Center, which has been the location of the Boys and Girls Club for over a decade.
The Middle School, which is presently serving 120 students grades four to six in the former band room, will add seventh grade and up in what was known as the JROTC building located between E.T. Peters Gym and Kay Porter Theater.
The building will also serve as the office headquarters for the after-school program, which began moving in last week. The club will share access to the gym, as well as Bacon Park for recreational activities.
Until the facility is up and running, there are about 50 students utilizing the former Teen Center across the street from Hentz in the church annex.
VARIOUS EXHIBITS ON DISPLAY THIS MORNING AT THE BUTLER COUNTY FAIR
The 2016 Butler County Fair continues today as multiple exhibits are on display in Poplar Bluff.
The exhibits are on display from 7 am to 10 am at the Black River Coliseum.
For more information, go online to ButlerFair.org.
