Police investigate a string of violent overnight crimes in Dutchtown

ST. LOUIS – Police are investigating after a string of robberies and violent attacks overnight in the Dutchtown neighborhood in St. Louis.

All three crimes were robberies and assaults that happened within about a mile of each other early Wednesday in the Dutchtown neighborhood of south St. Louis City. Fortunately, none of the victims were seriously hurt. Police are still trying to determine whether two of the crimes were connected to each other.

The first attack happened around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday morning at Osage and South Compton near Marquette Park. Police say a 49-year-old woman told police that she was robbed at gunpoint by five men. The men allegedly took money out of the woman’s purse, then ran away.

Police say just a little more than a half hour later, at 12:50 a.m., a 44-year-old man was robbed of his cellphone and wallet at gunpoint on Chippewa, close to Nebraska. Police say the man was hit in the head by a flashlight, but declined medical attention at the scene. A 30-year-old man who was also with the man during the robbery didn’t suffer from any injuries.

Then around 2:25 a.m., a 37-year-old man was reportedly cut by two masked men who were carrying a gun and a knife at his home on Virginia, near Meramec. It’s reported that the suspects didn’t take anything during the assault. The man was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Police say they are investigating to see if the first two robberies may be connected to the same suspects. The recent crime incidents are leaving some Dutchtown residents concerned.

“They have to go through things like that man; that’s not right,” Dutchtown resident Joyce Evers Jr. said. “You shouldn’t mess with nobody that isn’t messing with you. That’s my point of view at 58.”

Figures show that robberies and aggravated assaults are up in Dutchtown this year compared to last year.

“While these investigations are still in the early stages, we are hoping anyone that may have witnessed these incidents will come forward,” a police spokesperson said. “No tips are too small to be considered.”

If you have any information on the recent robberies, you are advised to call police or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.