Tennessee police officers foiled a robbery in progress at a shopping center south of Nashville on Saturday, possibly preventing a multi-state crime spree.
A Jared Jewelers employee at the Thoroughbred Village Shop Center called police around 8 p.m. Saturday after a man entered the store wearing a hoodie, surgical mask, hat and sunglasses, despite it was dark outside.
Thieves using sledgehammers to break a display case.
(Franklin Police Department)
A nearby undercover officer assigned to the department’s “Not at Our Mall” operation followed the suspect leaving the area in a multi-person van.
The van stopped in the fire lane across from JCPenney at the CoolSprings Galleria minutes later, police said. Franklin police officers, watching the scene unfold, pursued four masked suspects who had gotten out of the van and run into the store.
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A suspect inside the store used a sledgehammer to break display cases and steal diamond jewelry, police said. Another suspect pepper sprayed an employee during the attempted robbery. Another suspect fought with an officer and tried to grab his gun during the arrest, police said.
Four suspects arrested in attempted robbery in Franklin, Tennessee.
(Franklin Police Department)
The getaway driver and the suspect who fought with the officer were arrested while three other suspects fled the scene. Additional officers responded to the area and arrested two of the fleeing suspects. Police are looking for the third remaining suspect.
Franklin investigators are working with other jurisdictions to determine if the suspects in the latest attempted robbery are responsible for similar incidents in Tennessee and Arkansas with a combined loss of more than $1.5 million.
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The four suspects have been charged with aggravated robbery, vandalism and evading arrest. The suspect who fought an officer, identified as Dunterious Traylor, faces an additional charge of assault on a lifeguard. They remain in custody until Tuesday afternoon.
