Suspects in QD heist may be linked to other crimes

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Tweet Four suspects who could be connected to a string of local crimes were arrested Monday after an armed robbery at a local Quality Dairy store.

Liquor and an undisclosed amount of money were stolen at 1:30 a.m. Monday from Quality Dairy, 3332 Lake Lansing Road in Meridian Township, according to a news release from Meridian Township Police Department.

The first suspect was arrested inside the store, while the three other suspects fled to the surrounding residential area. The second suspect was apprehended nearby shortly after the store, the release stated.

By 7:20 a.m., the third and fourth suspects were located and taken into custody, the release stated.

The Meridian Township Police Department and Quality Dairy were not available for comment Wednesday.

The incident at the Quality Dairy occurred around the same time as another armed robbery at a 7-Eleven, 740 W. Lake Lansing Road. East Lansing police Capt. Kim Johnson said there have been other recent armed robberies in the area.

"I don't know that exact number because there have been several different jurisdictions. I know we've had a couple over the last couple weeks," he said.

"We're not sure if it's the same guys or not, but we're looking into it."

At the 7-Eleven, two men entered the store, brandishing a gun, and demanded the clerk open the cash register, Johnson said. Cigars and gum were stolen from the store and no one was injured.

The 7-Eleven store declined comment.

An investigation is being conducted to determine whether the suspects arrested were involved in other armed robberies in the area, according to the release.

"This could take weeks … to gather up the evidence together," Johnson said.

Sarah Harbison can be reached at harbiso9@msu.edu.

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