EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — A police chase from Illinois into Missouri ended an hours-long crime spree for a St. Louis man.
Edwardsville police said it all started early Wednesday. Two men from St. Louis broke into and stole from three Walgreens locations, one each in Alton, Bethalto and Edwardsville.
At about 2:30 a.m., a security alarm went off at the Edwardsville location on West Vandalia Street, notifying police. Officers responded to the store, but the suspects already were gone.
While processing the scene, police learned officers with the neighboring Maryville Police Department caught and arrested one of the men, identified as Andrew L. Walker. Walker was charged Thursday with three counts of burglary. The 32-year-old’s bail was set at $100,000.
Shortly after Walker was arrested, Edwardsville police said the other suspect – later identified as Timothy Headrick – crashed his car in a round-a-bout on Illinois State Route 162 in Maryville. Police said Headrick was able to get away from officers again.
His hiding spot was soon discovered by members of a construction crew as they arrived to work at a job site. Edwardsville police said that led to Headrick’s next crime spree: a kidnapping, vehicular hijacking and police chase.
Headrick carjacked a lawn service van, Troy, Illinois Police Chief Brad Parsons told 5 On Your Side Wednesday. An employee was still inside the van as Headrick drove it away from the carjacking scene in Troy.
At one point when the van slowed down to make a turn, the lawn service employee was able to open the back door and jump out. The victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment. He suffered a fractured skull and brain bleeding during the incident, according to court records.
Headrick continued trying to avoid police, leading officers on a chase from Illinois into Missouri, at times going 21 miles per hour over the speed limit, court records indicate.
Headrick was eventually taken into custody after the police chase ended in St. Louis.
Edwardsville Police Chief Jay Keeven applauded the cooperation of all the police agencies involved in arrested the suspects and bringing charges to prosecutors.
“I’m appreciative of the dedicated men and women within the Edwardsville Police Department and the cooperative working relationship we share with the Madison County policing community. Without the exceptional efforts of the officers in all the involved agencies, this case may have remained unsolved,” Chief Keeven said.
Headrick, 27, was charged with four counts of burglary, aggravated kidnapping, vehicular hijacking and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.
In addition to the three burglaries he’s suspected in from Wednesday, Edwardsville police said Headrick also is a suspect in another Walgreens burglary from Sept. 30 in Maryville.
His bail was set at $250,000.
