MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police have arrested two men they say are responsible for robbing three different people at gunpoint in southwest Memphis over the last week.
One of the robberies happened in the driveway of a home, and the others at two businesses on South Third Street.
Investigators said Kylon Griffin, 21, and Gekavion Wilkins, 18, were taken into custody in the 4900 of South Third Street after being spotted in a black Toyota Camry used in all the crimes.
The arrest happened right across from Gene’s Muffler Shop, where the first victim was robbed on June 13.
“I’ve been watching for that car every day,” said owner Gene Call
Call said he saw the black Camry with dark tinted window lurking next to his business before being ambushed by two men with guns inside his garage.
“Before I can turn around, they were in my back with a gun saying ‘I want everything. Give me what you got,'” Call said.
He said they took his wallet with his license and credit cards, and about $300.
“I gave them my keys, but they threw them back at me. They didn’t want them,” he said. “I couldn’t tell you what kind of gun the second one had because my eyes were on the pistol in my face.”
A day later, police said the pair held up a man loading tools into his van in the 5100 block of Bowie. The victim said the robbers were wearing ski masks and driving a black Toyota Camry with dark tinted windows and took $80.
Wednesday, police were called to Just Towing and Storage also in the 4900 block of South Third, after the owner was robbed by two men in a dark-colored sedan.
The business owner, who didn’t want to be identified, said he was mowing his property when they snuck up behind him.
“I looked up, and there was a gun in my face, and I didn’t know the other one was back there, but he let me know he was back there. He was like ‘Give us all the money, and we won’t have to kill you,’ and I said ‘You’re gonna kill me over some little money?'”
MPD said a short time later, officers on routine patrol saw the black Camry with tinted windows, and the owner of Just Towing and Storage was able to identify Griffin and Wilkins as the men who robbed him.
Police said they found a stolen drake-style gun and a weapon with an extended magazine inside the Camry and $761 on one of the suspects. The owner of Just Towing and Storage said he’s still waiting to get back the $200 they stole from him.
“I’m more mad at the fact that they entered my safety zone. It’s my safety zone. This is where I feel safe here,” he said.
Call has owned his muffler shop for over 40 years and says he’s never been through anything like this before. He’s taking steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“You see what I’ve got it marked off? I’m going to cage it off when I have the doors up, and I’ve got a dog in there, and I’ll just let him out with me,” said Call.
Griffin and Wilkins have been charged with three counts of aggravated robbery, three counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, theft of a firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
Both men are scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.