CREVE COEUR, Mo. — A St. Louis man was arrested after two failed carjacking attempts Thursday morning in Creve Coeur.
According to Creve Coeur police, officers responded at about 11 a.m. to a robbery in front of the Hair Saloon at 12794 Olive Blvd. The victim told police he was entering his vehicle in the parking lot when a man approached him, pulled out a gun and demanded his keys. The victim handed them over and ran into the business for help.
The suspect tried to drive away in the stolen car but abandoned it when he was unable to disengage the parking brake, police said.
Not long after the first carjacking attempt, police said an officer spotted a man matching the suspect's description attempting to steal another car in the drive-thru of the Burger King at 12701 Olive Blvd., just across the street from the shopping center containing the Hair Saloon. The officer intervened and arrested the suspect, 58-year-old Johnnie Stidum.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Stidum with two counts of vehicle hijacking, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon. As of Friday morning, he was being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center on a $200,000 cash-only bond.
Police said no one was injured during the incidents.
Anyone with information about the attempted carjackings should contact Lt. Geoff Schultz with the Creve Coeur Police Department Investigations Bureau at 314-442-2073.
Resources for crime victims
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
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