Two men and a woman, all from St. Louis, have been charged with two felonies after they allegedly tried to steal items from a vacant High Ridge twice in a two-day period. The incidents occurred Saturday and Sunday (April 18-April 19) at a home in the 3700 block of West Four Ridge Road, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The three reportedly attempted to steal about $1,200 worth of items from the home, but on both days, a neighbor allegedly chased them away by shooting at them. No one was shot during the incidents, the report said.
Today (April 20), the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Rock Simms, 36, Arnando Story, 34, and Summer Raymer, 41, with felony second-degree burglary and stealing, both class D punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Raymer also was charged with possession of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid of less than 10 grams, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
As of this afternoon, all three were being held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Bissell.
The three were arrested Sunday morning at a Circle K gas station, 5602 Hwy. PP, in High Ridge. The 2001 Ford Taurus wagon the three were traveling in had a flat tire, along with at least three bullet holes in the rear of the wagon believed to have come from shots fired by a man who lives near the vacant home, the report said.
It was not clear if a bullet hit the wagon’s tire. It also appeared the driver of the wagon, who was not arrested, was not involved in the alleged crime and had just been contacted to pick up the three suspects after they were released Sunday morning, Bissell said.
Deputies were first notified at 5:40 p.m. Saturday that a woman had seen someone at the vacant house. Another neighbor told deputies he confronted Simms and Story at the home, and one of them fired a gun at him. The male neighbor said he went to his house and got a gun and later shot at Simms, according to the report.
Simms ran away into a wooded area, and deputies found him a short time later and arrested him. Story was found in a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis, which was being driven by Raymer, in the 4000 block of West Four Ridge Road. While it did not appear Raymer had been in the vacant house or on the property, she was arrested along with Story because it is believed she was playing a role in the alleged burglary, the report said.
The three were booked and released Sunday morning pending application for warrants, Bissell said.
A man arrived in the wagon to pick up the three, and they allegedly convinced the driver to go to the home on West Four Ridge Road. The female neighbor who called deputies about the three at the home on Saturday evening reportedly spotted them back at the house and called deputies again at about 9 a.m. Sunday. She said she saw at least one man she recognized from the night before at the home, the report said.
The male neighbor who allegedly fired shots at Simms on Saturday, went to the home again with a gun and fired at least three shots at the wagon as it drove away. When deputies found the suspects at the gas station a short time later, the male neighbor arrived with the $1,200 in items in the bed of his pickup and told deputies he found them on the side of the road near the vacant home. The neighbor also said he believed the three suspects had put the items there after stealing them from the home, according to the report.
The owner of the vacant home was contacted and confirmed the items were his. The homeowner also said he had not given anyone permission to remove items from the house, Bissell said.
Deputies did not find forced entry into the home, and it looked like the items were removed Sunday morning, the Sheriff’s Office reported.