Two local men and two local women, all wanted on outstanding warrants, recently were arrested in Arnold. One of the suspects, a 26-year-old Hillsboro man, also was arrested for alleged possession of illegal drugs, Detective Lt. James Jones said.
At 12:57 p.m. Aug. 18, Arnold Police got a call that two men were at the UMB Bank, 827 Arnold Commons, acting suspiciously. One of them was the Hillsboro man, who was wearing a wig, and he was with a 36-year-old De Soto man. The two walked into the bank and began dumping a large amount of change in the change-counting machine. The change was in rolls, but was taken out of them to be put in the machine, Jones said.
When officers arrived, the men were in the bank parking lot, and when they were questioned, they gave “conflicting stories,” Jones said.
During the investigation, officers learned that the two men were wanted in Festus on felony burglary warrants, and the Hillsboro man also was wanted in Crystal City for fraudulent use of a credit device and in St. Louis for peace disturbance, Jones said.
In addition, the Hillsboro man was found with a substance believed to be methamphetamine, as well as prescription medication and drug paraphernalia, the report said.
The investigation took officers to the Woodspring Suites, formerly the Value Place hotel, in the Arnold Commons development, where they found three women and another man who apparently were associated with the two men arrested at the bank. Two of those women were wanted on warrants and were arrested. The third woman and the third man, however, were not arrested, Jones said.
One of the arrested women, a 37-year-old De Soto woman, was wanted in Crystal City for commercial burglary and in Desloge for traffic violations. The other, a 24-year-old Festus woman, was wanted in Crystal City for fraudulent use of a credit device and in Festus for traffic violations.
The two men and two women were booked and held for the various agencies that wanted them. Depending on drug test results, Arnold Police will seek felony drug charges against the Hillsboro man through the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Jones said.