22-year-old man charged in four armed robberies from Belleville, Swansea businesses
A 22-year-old Shiloh man was charged Saturday in a string of armed robberies from businesses in Belleville and Swansea.
Cameron Blake is accused of taking an undisclosed amount of cash from three gas stations and a restaurant in December, according to charging documents from the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s office.
The gas stations were all robbed Dec. 2, including ZX Gas Station at 420 Carlyle Ave. in Belleville, ZX Gas Station at 2400 N. Illinois St. and Huck’s Gas Station at 4590 N. Illinois St., both in Swansea.
A Domino’s Pizza restaurant in Belleville was also robbed Dec. 27.
Police believe the same HK brand 9mm semi-automatic handgun was used in all four robberies. The suspect was described by employees of the filling stations as being short and wearing a mask over his face.
Blake was being held at the St. Clair County Jail. His bond was set at $400,000.
The other accused robber
The spate of robberies throughout east Belleville and Swansea began shortly after a similar run of armed thefts on the west end of town. In all, at least nine armed robberies were perpetrated over barely a month’s time by two suspects, Blake allegedly among them.
On Dec. 5, Belleville Police arrested a 29-year-old Shiloh man, Benjamin Ducey, following the holdup of a Subway sandwich shop at 605 Carlyle Ave. He has since been charged with four other robberies, including those at the Food Mart and Dollar General in unincorporated Belleville in addition to Farm Fresh, ZX convenience store and the Family Dollar at 6401 W. Main St.
Ducey was being held on $500,000 bond.
This story was originally published January 4, 2020 at 12:14 PM.
