Preliminary charges announced for three following armed robbery at Whitestown Verizon store, subsequent pursuit

WHITESTOWN — Officials say a 22, 21 and 17 year old have preliminary charges of robbery, theft, intimidation and pointing a firearm, criminal confinement and resisting after they fled the scene of an armed robbery Tuesday afternoon at a local Verizon store.

Whitestown and Indianapolis officers, along with state troopers, were responding around 5:13 p.m. for an armed suspect in the area of East 24th and North Pennsylvania streets in Indianapolis. Whitestown police Operations Capt. Chris Burcham later told WRTV that person was one of three suspects in the earlier robbery.

At about 5:40 p.m., IMPD said the person was taken into custody.

Whitestown police first responded at about 4 p.m. to the Verizon store at 6192 Whitestown Pkwy. for a report of an armed robbery. Witnesses told police two armed people came into the store, gathered phones from the safe and fled in a silver vehicle, according to Whitestown police Capt. John Jurkash.

Later, state troopers and Whitestown officers found that vehicle traveling southbound on Interstate 65. They chased it until it crashed at West Fall Creek Parkway North Drive and North Illinois Street, and three people bailed on foot.

At that point, a perimeter was set up and two of the three suspects were detained, Jurkash said.

The third suspect was later taken into custody in the area of 24th and Pennsylvania.

Police are questioning the suspects, Jurkash said.