Collinsville police investigate two armed robberies in three days

Collinsville police have been called to investigate two armed robberies in three days: first at a pizza restaurant that was closing for the night Thursday and then at a bank that was opening for the day Saturday.

Collinsville’s GCS Credit Union employees told police on Saturday that two men armed with pistols rushed into the bank around 8 a.m. when an employee arrived for work and was being let inside. The bank, located at 1502 Vandalia St., was to open at 8:30 a.m.

One of the robbers put cash into a black duffel bag while the other held the bank employees at gunpoint, according to a news release from the Collinsville Police Department. The release did not include the amount of money that was taken. No one was injured, according to police.

Police said Saturday they were looking for suspects described as black men: one who is 5-foot-10 and thin build, and another who is 5-foot-10 and average build. They were last seen wearing all black pants, shoes and hooded sweatshirts and driving a yellow, newer-style Chevrolet Camaro with tinted windows on Beltline Road at Keebler.

Two days earlier, an armed robbery was reported at Marco’s Pizza at 108 St. Louis Road in Collinsville.

An employee who was closing the restaurant for the night told police that three men came in and demanded money. Two of them displayed handguns.

The robbers took money from the eatery’s cash register and safe, but the amount has not been released.

Police were still looking for suspects in the earlier armed robbery on Saturday. They were described as black men: one 5-foot-10 and average build, another 5-foot-10 and heavy build and a third 5-foot-7 and average build.

Collinsville Police Lt. Gary Scaggs said investigators have not proven or ruled out a connection between the two armed robberies.

Anyone with information about either of the incidents is asked to call the Collinsville Police Department at 618-344-2131 ext. 5268 or Crimestoppers at 866-371-8477.

This story was originally published March 30, 2019 at 3:02 PM.