Alert worker helps police nab 2 in Arkansas home invasions

Kent Thompson, 18, and Justin Douglas, 19
Kent Thompson, 18, and Justin Douglas, 19

FORT SMITH --A photo taken by a suspicious maintenance worker has led to the arrest of two men suspected in two home-invasion robberies at a south-side apartment complex.

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

Kent Thompson, 18, and Justin Douglas, 19, were booked into the Sebastian County jail this week on three counts of aggravated robbery in one home invasion. A news release from the Fort Smith Police Department said they are suspects in another robbery, as well.

In each case, the assailants entered through the apartments' back doors at the Lakeside Townhomes at 1331 S. 46th St., one armed with a shotgun and one with a handgun, according to police reports.

The first robbery occurred near midnight April 29.

When one of the male residents went to investigate a noise at the back door, one of the gunmen pointed a shotgun at him and told him to close his eyes. Neither resident could describe the invaders, but the one who answered the door said he thought he saw three men.

According to the police report, the gunmen asked where was the "work" and the "weight," possibly referring to drugs. They ransacked the apartment, took cellphones, cash and a video game console and ordered the men into a closet before leaving.

About midnight Wednesday, a report said, one of three residents in another apartment at Lakeside Townhomes responded to noise at the back door and was confronted by two men, one with a shotgun and the other with a handgun. As in the earlier robbery, the invaders ransacked the apartment, asked where the "weight" and the "stash" were, took cellphones, cash and a video game console before ordering the men into a closet and escaping.

A maintenance worker at the apartments was interviewed and reported seeing a suspicious vehicle parked in the complex parking lot before Wednesday's robbery. The worker said the gray 1980s model Ford pickup was occupied by two black males, with whom he spoke briefly.

He took a photo of the vehicle and continued with his work. Police checked the license number of the pickup and learned it belonged to Thompson, a Southside High School student.

Thompson was picked up, interviewed and arrested. Douglas was identified as a suspect and arrested Friday.

The news release said police are seeking more suspects and the investigation is ongoing.

The robbery is similar to one that occurred in January at a town house on Windsor Drive in north Fort Smith during which two invaders burst through the back door to rob the occupants. One had a handgun.

One of the occupants, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith student Kaleb Glynn Watson, 22, struggled with the gunman and was fatally shot.

Police have arrested and charged three teenagers in the case: Brothers Shakur and James Sharp, ages 16 and 15 respectively, and Dionte Parks, 16. All three are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and two counts of aggravated robbery.

State Desk on 05/07/2016

Upcoming Events