LOCAL POLICE GET HELP FROM 'MID-AMERICA'S MOST WANTED'

Thanks to a little publicity, Cape Girardeau police say they are catching a few more criminals lately.

After showing up on the 30-second television broadcast "Mid-America's Most Wanted" last month, Tony Lamark Harris, 38, was located by police and arrested for robbery and a parole violation at his residence on Tuesday, Cpl. Kevin Orr said.

Police had been seeking Harris since January, Orr said.

Harris had been involved in a robbery the evening of Jan. 30 in the 400 block of Good Hope Street, police said. It was reported that as Harris approached another man walking, he pulled out a knife and demanded money. As the man held out his cash, Harris is alleged to have swung at the victim with a pocket knife and cut his hand.

Harris is being held in custody on $100,000 bond, Orr said.

Besides Harris, police have arrested two other men in the past three weeks who were featured on "Mid-America's Most Wanted."

Ronald M. Brumback, 48, was arrested in Scott County on a Cape Girardeau warrant for possession of a controlled substance. He had appeared on television July 22, Orr said.

Shemiah Lashawn Carter, 19, was arrested in Cape Girardeau last week for state probation violations, including possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest. He was also wanted on five municipal warrants for crimes ranging from assault to traffic violations, Orr said.

Carter appeared on television July 29.

However, Carter escaped on Friday from a work release program at the Cape Girardeau Recycling Center and has not been found, Orr said.

Police didn't say if Carter would be featured on television again.

Since 1999, when "Mid-America's Most Wanted" began airing on KBSI Channel 23 and UPN Channel 49, police said 32 of the individuals featured have been arrested.

Police get more tips as a result of the segment, Orr said, but arrest patterns vary.

"It goes in spurts," he said.

If a person is not found, chances are he'll be on television again. Before he appeared in July, Harris' crime and appearance had been broadcast in February and March, Orr said.

Photographs and information from Southeast Missouri Crimestoppers published in the Southeast Missourian has led to 24 arrests of the fugitives featured since 1999, Orr said.

Another five persons wanted for crimes who did not appear on television or in a newspaper were arrested based on tips called in to Crimestoppers, Orr said.

Police are happy with the help publicity offers.

"With a lot of these, it would have been a long time finding them if we didn't get additional information," Orr said.

Sometimes, for people like Timothy Barnhart, the notoriety is too much. After the 35-year-old appeared in the Southeast Missourian as a Crimestoppers fugitive for not paying child support, he turned himself in to authorities, Orr said.

Another man became concerned after he saw himself on "Mid-America's Most Wanted" last February. He also sought out police to arrest him.

"He said he felt too much pressure, as if everyone was suddenly looking for him," Orr said.