Police arrest 3 alleged gang members after a year long crime spree

ST. LOUIS (KMOX)-- St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department have arrested three alleged gang members that were involved in car thefts, car break-ins, and business burglaries for a year.

According to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, officers were alerted by the Real-Time Crime Center on Aug. 23, 2024, to a stolen Cadillac CTS driving in the area of Natural Bridge and Goodfellow.

Officers responded to the area and observed the car travel to a home in the 5800 block of Ferris, which is a known location frequented by known car thieves, who are documented members of a criminal street gang.

Several people were observed exiting the vehicle and entering the home. A short time later, two men, known to law enforcement to be dangerous, left the home and entered the stolen Cadillac CTS.

Detectives that were in the area waited for additional detectives to respond before attempting to stop the car. Before a traffic stop could be conducted, the stolen vehicle left the home but returned shortly after and both men re-entered the home. Detectives stayed in the area until 20-year-old Demonta Robinson left the home for a second time and re-entered the Cadillac CTS and attempted to drive away.

Detectives were positioned to intercept the car as it left the area because Ferris is a one-way street. Robinson spotted the detectives and performed an illegal U-turn, in an attempt to evade our officers. Robinson started driving the wrong-way on the one-way street. Detectives were able to successfully deploy spike strips and Robinson drove into the yard, in an attempt to avoid detectives who were also in the area. The Cadillac CTS became disabled in the front yard of the home on Ferris.

When detectives approached the stolen car, they saw Robinson with a gun, later determined to be stolen.

The Circuit Attorney’s Office previously issued a charge of Resisting Arrest against Robinson and investigators are working with the Circuit Attorney’s Office to pursue additional charges.

The other two individuals, 24-year-old Kaveon Harvey and 20-year-old Lavon Harvey, were also arrested alongside Robinson.

Kaveon Harvey was arrested for a fugitive warrant. He was in possession of a gun at the time of his arrest. He never presented any valid license to carry. His gun has not been returned to him and is currently being held in our Property Custody Division.

Lavon Harvey was originally arrested for a fugitive warrant; however, he was initially released when the issuing jurisdiction would not confirm extradition. It was later confirmed, after his release, that he was a passenger of the stolen Cadillac CTS.

Lavon Harvey was taken into custody at the office of Probation and Parole Wednesday for violations of the terms of his probation. In June, he was put on probation for two counts of second degree burglary, six counts of stealing of a motor vehicle, and two counts of second degree property damage.

SLMPD investigators are also working with the Circuit Attorney’s Office to pursue additional charges.