Four arrested on charges of robbery in Benton Harbor

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. – Four men have been arrested on charges of robbery of two cell phone stores after leading police on a pursuit on I-94 on Thursday, according to the Benton Charter Township Police Department said.

Police were dispatched to an AT&T store for reports of an armed robbery around 4:40 pm. Just moments later, police were also dispatched to a T-Mobile store for reports of another armed robbery.

When police arrived, they saw four men enter a black Audi SUV and leave at both stores.

At AT&T no merchandise was taken from the store. However, at the T-Mobile Store, employees said that the suspects forced them to open a safe and the men allegedly took many phones.

Police lost sight of the black Audi SUV, but one of the stolen phones had an active tracking device on it. Officers were able to find the suspects once again because of this, and this time, the men were now in a gray Nissan SUV.

The Nissan allegedly drove off from police east on 1-94 to the M-196 interchange, according to officers. Because of the stolen phone’s tracking device, dispatch was able to give officers the suspect’s location during the chase.

The pursuit ended in a construction area on northbound M-196, at the Kalamazoo River Bridge, when the Nissan allegedly crashed into another vehicle, officers said.

The suspects were seen throwing items out of their car during the chase, officers said. According to officers, they recovered cell phones and the cell phone that had the tracking device on it.

Berrien County deputies were able to find the original black Audi SUV close to the T-Mobile store. Both vehicles were towed back to the Benton Township Police Department for evidence. According to officers, both SUVs were reported stolen from the Grand Rapids area.

All four men were arrested and taken to the Berrien County Jail on charges of Unarmed Robbery, Safe Robbery and Concealing Stolen Property, according to police. Three of the men had prior warrants form agencies throughout southwest Michigan, officers said.

Police are withholding the four suspects names at this time. Additional charges might come from other jurisdictions, the report said.