Numerous unrelated crimes occur overnight in Dutchtown

ST. LOUIS, Missouri (First Alert 4) – The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating three separate crimes that occurred within three hours in the Dutchtown area.

According to police, the first incident occurred at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday near Osage Street and South Compton Avenue. A woman told police she was walking on Osage Street when a man walked past her and called her attention. When she turned around, a second man approached her with a gun and demanded her purse. She said she gave the purse to the armed man, and then three more men ordered the armed man to take the money from her purse and give her the purse back, which he did. After that, all five men fled the scene.

The second incident occurred in the 2900 block of Chippewa Street and was reported to police after two men flagged them down at 12:50 a.m. Wednesday. The two men, one 30 and one 44, told police they had just left a home on Chippewa Street when they saw a man being robbed and assaulted at a nearby bus stop. The men told police they ran away after seeing what happened, but the man who assaulted the person at the bus stop chased them and hit the 44-year-old with a flashlight.

He suffered a cut on his head from the flashlight, but he refused treatment on site.

The 44-year-old said his cellphone and wallet were then stolen at gunpoint before the suspect fled.

The man who was initially robbed was not found by the police.

According to police, the third crime occurred around 2:25 a.m. Wednesday in the 4200 block of Virginia Avenue. A 37-year-old man said he was lying in bed when he heard someone enter his apartment, even though the door was locked. However, the unknown man left without stealing anything. Shortly after, he heard a knock on his door and when he opened the door, two masked men were standing there, armed with a gun and a knife.

The 37-year-old said one of the men cut his arm before he could close the door, after which the masked men fled.

The emergency services responded and took the man to a hospital for treatment.

Police say they do not believe the two incidents are related and are currently investigating them as separate crimes.

Anyone with information about the incidents listed should contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).

All rights reserved.