Two charged in connection with burglary of Belleville Walgreens
A 34-year old St. Louis resident and a 34-year old homeless man were charged with taking a cash register from the Walgreens Pharmacy in Belleville Sunday.
The St. Clair County State’ Attorney’s office on Tuesday charged Samuel Neealy, of St. Louis, and Ronald McCollom, who police said is homeless, with robbery, burglary and theft, all felony offenses. They are each being held in lieu of $200,000 bail.
The investigation is ongoing and charges related to a third suspect, who was arrested Sunday, are pending.
Belleville police were dispatched to 5890 North Belt West in reference to a robbery in progress at 8:56 a.m. Sunday.
Witnesses at Walgreens provided police with a description of the vehicle in which the suspects fled. Police later learned the vehicle had been reported stolen out of St. Louis County.
Police say McCollom and Neealy entered the business and took two cash register drawers. No one was injured.
“An officer who was responding to the incident observed the suspect vehicle in the 7800 block of West Main Street traveling westbound. The officer attempted to stop the suspect vehicle, but the vehicle fled,” Belleville Police Capt. Mark Heffernan said.
Officers pursued the vehicle through west Belleville to Interstate 64, where it crashed near the Baugh Avenue exit in East St. Louis.
“After a brief foot chase, three suspects, who were in the suspect vehicle were taken into custody at the scene of the crash,” Heffernan said.
The three suspects were taken to a local hospital to be evaluated. Two were treated and released to the custody of Belleville Police, Heffernan said.. The third suspect is still at a local hospital receiving treatment for health issues not directly related to vehicle crash.
Heffernan said investigators are checking with other police agencies to see if they have had similar incidents.
“Our detectives have been in contact with over a dozen police agencies regarding similar cases throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan area,” Heffernan said.
This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 5:18 PM.
