Sunday, May 04, 2008

Greenville Police officers arrested three men in connection with a strong-arm robbery on Summit Street early Saturday, a police official said.

A 23-year-old woman reported her purse was grabbed by a man while she was walking there about 12:40 a.m.

Officers arrested Desmond Jamar Smith, 22, of 114 Willow Drive, Williamston; Tavarus Antwoine Little, 23, of 5657 Teel Brook Drive, Raleigh; and Brian Keith Smith, 19 of 119 Peel St., Williamston, in connection with the incident. The three were charged with strong-arm robbery.

Police Detective John Jenkins was working a detail in the area to address the spate of armed robberies in the city this week, including several near the East Carolina University campus, Cpl. Kip Gaskins said. Reports earlier in the week indicated several ECU students were victims of some of those robberies.

Jenkins reported he observed a man running on Summit Street toward Fourth Street, then saw a car speeding away from the area where he had last seen the man running. The officer pulled his patrol car behind the vehicle and saw a purse being thrown out of it, Gaskins said.

At the same time, ECU police reported they located an alleged robbery victim on Summit Street, Gaskins said.

When Jenkins' pursuit reached the area of Pitt Street and Gum Drive, north of the river, three men jumped out of their vehicle and ran. They were later located in some bushes by a K-9 unit and arrested, Gaskins said

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