Policeman's hunch pays off in arrests of two teen-agers

Cape Girardeau police have arrested two people thought to be responsible for at least two of three recent burglaries.

Steven B. Garner and Jason K. Hollowell, both 17, were arrested early Monday when police found them hiding in a car on West Cape Rock Drive, reports say.

They're accused of breaking into a fast-food restaurant and a convenience store in the wee hours of Monday, said police spokesman Cpl. Rick Schmidt.

The two teen-agers are old enough to be charged as adults for the crimes they're accused of, but not old enough to possess some the stolen booty officers said they caught them with.

The arrests stem from an incident that began about 3:45 a.m. Monday when police responded to a burglar alarm at Wink's Convenience Store at 2021 Perryville Road.

Wendy's Restaurant had been burglarized earlier that night when thieves gained entry by breaking the glass in a door.

Trails suspects

When police arrived at Winks, they found window glass in the front of the building. The store manager arrived soon after and told officers that bottles of liquor had been stolen. One of the officers, Sgt. Carl Eakins, had a hunch the thieves might try to hit a nearby convenience store, an Amerimart at 1320 W. Cape Rock Drive, and headed over there.

As he arrived, he saw a car drive quickly away from the store and pull into a nearby apartment complex.

"At this point its near 4 a.m. and the occupants are crouched down in the seats, trying to hide," Schmidt said.

Eakins called for backup and police arrested Hollowell and Garner, as well as a female who has not yet been charged.

Police said a search of the car revealed bottles of liquor that matched the description of stolen property from Winks as well as a fax machine and VCR identified as property of Wendy's.

The two face seven counts each, including two counts of burglary, two counts of stealing, two counts of property damage and one count of possession of intoxicating liquor by a minor.

They have not been ruled out as suspects in a Friday night burglary at the Dollar General Store.

In that case, thieves broke a window to get in and made off with $2,000 worth of merchandise.

abuchanan@semissourian.com

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