CEDAR CITY — Three suspects are in custody Thursday night after two of them were stopped for allegedly trying to break into a coin machine at the Suds and Duds Laundromat.
Cedar City Police Sgt. Jimmy Roden said a man and woman had gone into the laundromat located in back of the Vault Pawn Shop at 200 North at approximately 4 p.m., when the owner, who was in the pawn shop watching a surveillance camera, witnessed what he believed to be the two suspects attempting to break into the coin machine using tools.
The owner went in back to the laundromat and allegedly brandished a firearm at the suspects, telling them to stop, Roden said. The male suspect then came at the owner and the owner fired his weapon into the wall, “reportedly as a warning shot,” Roden said in a news release.
Roden said the male suspect then overtook the owner and they began to fight.
“The brief altercation spilled outside of the business onto the sidewalk,” the news release said. “The suspect then disengaged with the business owner and he and the female, who had also been inside the store, then entered an SUV that was parked in the parking lot.”
A passerby witnessed the fight and stopped to help. The laundromat owner and the witness, who was also reportedly carrying a firearm, “held the suspects at gunpoint until police arrived,” Roden said.
Police found another suspect sitting in a vehicle who had not entered the laundromat.
“It is unknown what involvement, if any, he had in the attempted theft,” Roden said of the suspect found in the vehicle.
All three suspects were taken into custody without incident.
At the time of publication, authorities are still investigating the incident and have not filed any charges, Roden said.
“We’re still trying to sort everything out,” he said.
This is a developing story.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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And hopefully the business owner will be charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm for the “warning shot”. Call the cops first next time and don’t try to be a hero.
you would think that a voice of reason would know all of the facts before posting a dumb comment, don’t try to be a voice of reason behind your keyboard when you don’t know the facts! where you there ? I would think someone with reason would not be so quick to judge!
VOR is an idiot
It is illegal to discharge a firearm unless you are in fear for your life. Technically Firing a warning shot is threatening someone, not self defense. It seems like you are the one who doesn’t know the facts.
I do know the facts!
would you like to make a wager ? he wont be charged with discharging a fire arm. inside his own building is different than outside.
Better yet, practice real gun control and stop the threat. Center mass if you fear for your life.
You are correct shooting someone is legal, but firing a warning shot is not.
Correct. A warning shot from me would be in center mass (to stop the threat*).
Liberals always clamor for “better gun control” after a shooting- That’s what I meant.
Idiot
Nothing like a clean get away !
good move by the owner. ! I’m proud of you. Somebody break into my house in the middle of the night. I’m going to call to the cop’s….AFTER I SHOOT the prowler !
The male thief must be really stupid. Who tries to tackle a person holding a firearm? He must have a death wish. He’s lucky the two with guns used them appropriately rather than shooting his dumb @@@.
Sagemoon speaks the truth! They showed restraint, even AFTER the owner was tackled and assaulted. Legally he had every right to “stop the threat” at that point.
No facts thus far. Arrested but not charged yet. Could be a misunderstanding, or the owner just loaded the vending machine and the patrons got no soap for their dollar. YOU **#bit#% machine. Give me my dollar back! Take that, you cheating machine!
Owner: Hey! leave my machine alone! Take your dirty laundry and get out of my upstanding rear store!
Jury pool? We don’t need no stinking Jury pool. Sounds like both the owner & the 2 customer have some explaining to do.
The other guy in the SUV? Can’t a guy just get some sleep waiting for clean cloths? Arrested? For what?
lol there are a lot of points of view with out all of the facts
Well that’s because they’re all keyboard cops and lawyer’s ! LOL