Police capture knife-wielding suspect in rash of Belleville robberies
Police have arrested a man they believe committed a string of robberies in the Belleville area last week.
Shayvon J. Trahan, 24 and currently homeless, was charged by the St.Clair County State’s Attorney’s office on seven felony counts, including:
- Armed robbery at the Papa John’s Pizza in Carlyle Avenue on Dec. 30.
- Armed robbery at the Dollar General store on Carlyle Avenue on Jan.27.
- Attempt armed robbery at the Dollar General at Wade Square on Feb. 1.
- Armed Robbery at ZX on Royal Heights on Feb. 1
- Aggravated battery related to the ZX robbery.
- Possession of a stolen vehicle.
- Aggravated fleeing and eluding police.
Belleville Police Capt. Mark Heffernan said the suspect attempted to rob a Dollar General and stole a Domino’s employees vehicle before police caught him. He also is suspected of wielding a knife while robbing the Zephyr Xpress gas station on Royal Heights Road in Belleville.
Belleville police were dispatched at 8:21 p.m. on Jan. 28 to the Dollar General Store at 4 Wade Square to investigate an armed robbery attempt. Employees at the business described the suspect as “a black male, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, white gloves and a white face mask.”
The suspect entered the business, displayed a knife and demanded money from the register, they told police. He did not get any money and left the business on foot, Heffernan said.
Three hours later, an employee at Domino’s Pizza located at 1900 North Belt East, reported to police that his car, a dark colored Chevrolet Sonic, had been stolen.
Then, at 11:34 p.m., police were dispatched to the ZX Gas station located at 1200 Royal Heights to investigate a third reported robbery. Heffernan said a suspect displayed a knife and fled with an undetermined amount of money in the vehicle reported stolen at Domino’s.
Witness descriptions matched those given to police at the other businesses.
The stolen car was spotted traveling east near the 4000 block of West Main Street.
“Officers attempted to top the vehicle but it fled, continuing through parts of east Belleville, Swansea and west Belleville for several minutes,” Heffernan said.
At times, the suspect reached speeds of more than 100 mph. before running the car off the pavement near Pocket Road and Lakewood Place in Alorton. The chase continued briefly on foot before he was captured and arrested.
Heffernan said officers recovered evidence of the heists in and around the ditched vehicle.
The case is under review at the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s office. Investigators, meanwhile, are looking into the suspect’s possible connection to other crimes, Heffernan said.
This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 10:58 AM.
