Police Chase Ends With Arrest Of Armed Robbery Suspects

An Election Day police chase and a helicopter pursuit of five suspected armed robbers of a Sarasota jewelry store ended in Venice with the suspects' arrests.

Four men had entered Mayors Jewelers at the Westfield Southgate Mall at 6:38 p.m. Tuesday with hammers and a handgun, robbing the store and they fled the scene in a silver Chevrolet Impala where another man was inside the car as the getaway driver.

Inside the store, the suspect armed with a handgun ordered the employees to the rear of the store telling them to lie down and stay quiet, according to the police department. 

One of the suspects smashed four of the jewelry store’s display cases, according to Sarasota Police Department, where several Tag Huerer watches were stolen along with cash, having a total value of $25,000, according to the police department.  

Sarasota Police charged the suspects, all from Miami, with armed robbery. The suspects are:

• Isaac M. Thompson, 32
• Marvin Wright, 34
• Marcus A. Wright, 29
• Godtrell Grant, 36
• Clarence Mack, 35

The Sarasota Police Department issued a lookout for area law enforcement, and at 7:04 p.m., Sarasota County Sheriff's Deputy J Adams observed the car on Interstate 75 at State Route 681, according to the sheriff's office.

The Impala continued south on I-75 and exited westbound onto Laurel Road where Adams attempted to stop the car near Mission Valley, but the car did a U-Turn and fled eastbound on Laurel Road, according to the sheriff's office.

After the vehicle neared the east end of Laurel Road it turned again westbound, when stop sticks were deployed to flatten the tires, and the car eventually entered northbound I-75, then pulled over by PGT Industries, according to the sheriff's office.

The five suspects fled from the car on foot in different directions, with K-9s released to pursue the suspects—three suspects sustained dog bites from the K-9s, according to the sheriff's office. Two of those suspects were treated and released, and one was admitted to Venice Hospital, according to the sheriff's office.

The pursuit ended at 8:05 p.m., according to the sheriff's office, and Sarasota Police Department seized the vehicle as part of its armed robbery investigation.

Units involved were Sheriff's Office Patrol, Traffic, Aviation, Canine, Tactical and Venice Police Department. Sheriff's Office helicopter AIR1 coordinated the pursuit and subsequent capture of the suspects.