Police Suspect Link Between Springfield and Belleville Robberies

Springfield and Belleville police are investigating whether the same culprits committed robberies in the two towns.

Shortly after 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 6, two armed men robbed the South Springfield Ave. convenience store Krauser's. The men, described as black men wearing ski masks, made off with cash and lottery tickets after pistol-whipping two clerks. The men were believed to have driven out of Springfield on route 22.

Approximately 90 minutes later, two men in ski masks and carrying pistols entered a Bellevilke liquor store, stole wallets, and emptied the store's safe and two cash registers of about $3,000 in cash.

Both Belleville and Springfield's police departments issued crime alerts after their respective robberies. Law enforcement professionals now suspect the same men committed the two incidents, as the suspects match descriptions and both robberies employed the same tactics. The two departments are working together to investigate the robberies.

"We're not 100 percent sure [it was the same men] but we think there's a strong possibility," Lt. James Giuliano of the Belleville Police department. 

Belleville Patch editor Paul Milo contributed reporting.