Mother’s Day Robbery Leads to Multiple Arrests

On May 9, Mother’s Day, a motorist and a passenger were stopped and robbed at gunpoint by a group of individuals in the 1300 block of Garber Street in the city’s Fulton neighborhood. A subsequent investigation by officers of First Precinct’s Focused Mission Team led to the recent arrests of several juveniles and adults and the seizure of a quantity of drugs and several firearms.

On May 19, FMT officers executed a search warrant at 1308 Garber St. looking for several juveniles involved in the Mother’s Day robbery. There they arrested one adult and two juveniles and seized marijuana, packaging material and three firearms; a .380 caliber Cobra, a 9mm Glock and a 9mm Ruger semi-automatic – all semiautomatic handguns. Dwayne Phillips, 22, 601 South St., was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.

The following day, May 20, FMT officers arrested another individual, Jerome D. “Jack” Smith, 22, 5304 Euclid Ave. for the same Mother’s Day robbery. Smith attempted to flee down the 1300 block of Garber Street and, during a foot pursuit and struggle, attempted to throw away a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver. Officers also recovered 30 grams of crack cocaine and 15 grams of marijuana. Smith was charged with multiple offenses, including conspiracy to commit robbery, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and marijuana and possession of a firearm by a felon.

“These arrests are the result of good police work,” said First Precinct Commander Captain Odetta Johnson. “The FMT officers just wouldn’t quit. They spent about 40 hours interviewing the victims, following leads, obtaining search warrants and arresting the suspects. I’m very proud. I’m sure the residents of Fulton are relieved.”