3 people arrested after chase, theft of cash and cigarettes from gas station in South County

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Missouri (First Alert 4) – Three men were arrested after a robbery at a South County gas station led to a chase early Tuesday.

Craig Hudson, 36, of 1900 Mora Lane in Jennings, Missouri, and Ricardo Cole, 47, of 8500 Red Fir Drive in St. Louis, Missouri, were charged with first-degree robbery. Frederick Smith, 39, of 2500 Coleman Street in St. Louis, Missouri, was charged with resisting arrest by fleeing. Hudson and Cole are being held on $100,000 cash only, no 10 percent bail. Smith is being held on $50,000 cash only, no 10 percent bail.

According to police, Hudson and Cole entered a Quiktrip at 2030 Union Road around 2:25 a.m. Tuesday, where Hudson began talking to a manager while Cole reached into the cash register to steal cash. At one point, Hudson went behind the counter and the manager saw Cole and Hudson taking cash from the register. Cole then reached into his waistband, indicating that he had a gun, causing the manager to back away. Hudson and Cole left the Quiktrip to walk to a car driven by Smith.

Police attempted to pull Smith over, but he refused to yield. Police say Smith was at this point traveling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, ignoring red lights and stop signs, and driving into oncoming traffic.

When police arrested the three men, they found a large amount of cash, cigarettes, chargers and other items stolen from the Quiktrip in the vehicle. Cole admitted to stealing the items.

The investigation is being conducted by the South County Precinct of the St. Louis County Police Department.

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