Daily Egyptian

Two SIUC students were arrested Tuesday night after robbing four students at gunpoint in an apartment on South Wall Street. Carbondale and SIUC Police tag-teamed the suspects, with each department arresting one suspect, officials said Wednesday.

Curtis L. White, 20, an undecided sophomore from Carbondale and Kenneth Triplett, 18, a freshman studying music from Chicago, were arrested and charged with armed robbery, home invasion and possession of cannabis.

Carbondale Police Chief Steve Odum said the suspects entered a unit at the Quadrangle Apartment complex at 1207 S. Wall St., brandished a gun and told the four people in the room to lie down while one suspect took an unknown amount of money and items.

Both Carbondale and SIUC Police responded to the scene after receiving the victims' call at 9:41 p.m. Tuesday, said SIUC Police Chief Todd Sigler. Police said the suspects fled on foot and were caught near Wall Street. Each department arrested one of the suspects.

White and Triplett were taken to Jackson County Jail in Murphysboro where they each remain on $10,000 bond, an employee of the Jackson County Jail said. No court dates have been scheduled yet.

According to the University directory, White and Triplett are residents of University Hall at 1101 S. Wall St., which is located a block from the scene of the incident.

Carbondale Police Chief Steve Odum said it is believed the suspects knew the four victims before the robbery and they did not wear anything to conceal their identity.

Sigler said it is not unusual for the two departments to work together, adding they do so on an almost daily basis.

"That is one of the nice benefits of living in the area." Sigler said. "The two departments work together to benefit the community."

Sigler said the department received a thank you e-mail from Carbondale Police after helping in the chase.

The benefits don't end where the two department's patrols overlap, Odum said, or when they respond to calls for assistance. Sharing of knowledge on events and personal information, Odum said, are just two of the things the departments do regularly.

"It was a great way that it worked out and the two departments were able to clean up so quickly," Odum said.