3 suspects arrested after armed robbery at Canton Verizon store

Canton police were clearly not messing around after a Verizon store on Ford Road reported an armed robbery involving three suspects with an assault rifle.  They quickly spotted a car at Oakview and Saltz, and a witness said they rammed it when the suspects refused to stop.

"I [saw] the officer hit the car," Jack Cardwell explained.  "Three kids got out and just started running towards the woods."

Two officers ran after them, and it didn't take long before the three suspects were in custody.

When they came out of the woods, the footprints in the snow only pointed in one direction toward a storm cellar on Willard.  That is exactly where the suspects were caught hiding out.

"[There were] weapons found in the car but none in their person," said Sergeant Mark Gajeski.  "The report from Verizon was automatic weapons, and [there were] weapons in the vehicle that would be considered automatic weapons."

Gajeski was one of the officers involved in the foot chase.

"Very professionally done," Cardwell remarked.  "I love to see something like this happen because crime just doesn't pay."

Police said the three suspects described as black men were wearing masks during the robbery.  Several nearby schools went into lock down as a precaution until the manhunt was over, and it turns out this trio may be have been involved in other crimes.

"We got a message last night there was an armed robbery in Garden City, an armed robbery in Westland.  These guys do match the description," Gajeski said.

Police are still investigating.  Through it all no shots were fired and no one was hurt.