WREG.com

Teens arrested for brazen armed robberies in Midtown

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three people were arrested after police said they confessed to a brazen crime spree in Midtown.

According to the Memphis Police Department 18-year-old Will Hayes and 18-year-old Brandon Holmes were arrested for a pair of armed robberies.

Police said the third suspect in the case was a juvenile.

In both cases the suspects had the same MO.

They robbed the victims at gunpoint and used their bank cards to steal their money.

“We’ve lived in this house 25 years and we’ve never really had any trouble at all,” said Denise Fabian.

Fabian loved where she lives in the Central Gardens neighborhood in Midtown.

The trees were big and shady, it’s quiet and neighbors look out for each other so it was a surprise when she heard the news.

“There was an armed robbery right at our street corner,” she explained.

It was the corner of Melrose and Harbert.

Police said the robbery happened early last week a little after 9:30 at night.

The victim was walking through the neighborhood when Hayes and Holmes held him up, took his ATM card and other belongings.

Police said the pair forced him to give them his PIN number then they went to the Regions Bank on North Cleveland and pulled $600 out of his bank account.

Two days and less than two miles later it was almost the same story, only this time two women were the victims.

This time it was Court Avenue and North Willett Street.

Again, police said the suspects went back to the same ATM and withdrew $600 cash.

One woman WREG talked to, who didn’t want to be identified, said she’s sick of the crime stories.

“It’s mortifying. It frustrates me that people think they’re going to get away with this,” she said.

Fabian said the news was troubling because in Central Gardens not only is there a Neighborhood Watch but a private security company patrols the area.

“Central Gardens is a big enough area they can’t be on every corner at every time,” said Fabian.

Over the weekend Hayes and Holmes were arrested for the two robberies.

Neighbors said it’s a lesson no area is immune from crime.

“Things can happen anywhere you live it doesn’t matter. You think you’re in a safe neighborhood and anything can happen,” explained Fabian.

Hayes’ bail was set at $425,000 and Holmes’ bail was set at $125,000.

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