Five days after a Washington Park woman was charged with armed robbery for holding up a pair of stores in Belleville, she still hasn't been formally tied to a similar robbery at an O'Fallon Hardee's restaurant.

But O'Fallon Police Chief John Betten said Friday that officers believe 27-year-old Yulonda Y. Stewart is responsible for robbing the Hardee's at 110 E. Highway 50 on Nov. 27.

"Signs point to the suspect in Belleville being the person responsible for our case," Betten said. "Investigators are continuing to work on it and we expect to have the case wrapped up soon."

Stewart, who Belleville police said was caught in the act Sunday of robbing the Jack in the Box at 500 S. Illinois St., fits the description of the suspect who on Nov. 30 robbed O'Reilly Auto Parts at 4400 W. Main Street in Belleville.

O'Fallon Police Department Lt. Mick Hunter said female armed robbers are rare and that police believed the suspect in the Hardee's robbery was an experienced criminal because of the methodical and cool-headed way she robbed the restaurant.

Stewart, 27, is being held in the St. Clair County Jail on $200,000 bond, has a history of committing robberies and recently was released from prison after a 2006 conviction in which she accepted a plea bargain.

Contact reporter Scott Wuerz at swuerz@bnd.com or call 239-2626.