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MENTONE - Kosciusko county officers solved an attempted armed robbery in less than 12 hours Monday, arresting three and formally charging two men.
At 1:20 p.m. Monday afternoon the sheriff's department received a 911 call alerting them to a robbery at Pill Box Pharmacy, Mentone.
There, an armed man had just tried to rob the pharmacy, using a black semiautomatic hand gun. The gun is believed to be stolen from one of several recent home burglaries where weapons were taken, sheriff's department detective, J.D. Ayres, said.
The man left the pharmacy, without any loot after an employee fled the building through the front door. The man followed and ran to an alley north of the building where he got into a waiting car and left the scene.
According to an officer assisting in the arrests, police believe the robber was after drugs.
Two people were arrested about 3 p.m. Monday in connection with the crime after sheriff's department sergeant Chad Hill spotted the alleged get-away car in Etna Green.
Arrested were Samuel Stidams, 22, of 17487 N. Apple Road, Bourbon, and Karri Bloom, 25, Bourbon. Stidams originally was charged with attempted armed robbery, pointing a firearm and aggravated battery, but when it was learned that Samuel Stidams brother, Jeremy Stidams, reportedly was the actual robber, the battery and firearm charges were dismissed. Samuel Stidams is held on a $100,000 bond for armed robbery. He allegedly was a look-out for the robber and drove the get-away car.
All charges against Bloom were dismissed. She reportedly says she was only a passenger in the car at the time of the alleged robbery, and was not involved.
Jeremy Stidams, 24, of 17487 N. Apple Road, Bourbon, was arrested at about 1:30 a.m. today, and charged with attempted armed robbery and pointing a firearm. He is held at Kosciusko County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
Investigating the crime are the Indiana State Police, Mentone Police and Kosciusko County Sheriff's departments.
