Police in Lawrence arrest 2 suspects in connection to robberies

LAWRENCE, Ind. (WISH) – Police have arrested two suspects in connection to two robberies.

According to Lawrence Police, 20-year-old Leobardo Sanchez and 23-year-old Anthony Lopez have been arrested.

Police said one of the robberies occurred at the Rickers/BP Connect gas station just after 1 a.m.Monday in the 9200 block of East 56th Street. Witnesses told police they saw two white men enter the convenience store.  One of the men was reportedly holding a large, black revolver and then proceeded to point it at the clerk.  The other man then went behind the counter and demanded money.

The two men then fled the scene headed east in a white SUV on 56th Street after taking an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register and several carton of cigarettes.

As the SUV was fleeing the scene, a Lawrence police officer was in the area and spotted a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s vehicle. The vehicle increased its speed in order to evade officers from the Lawrence, Mccordsville, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.

The vehicle then came to a stop in the rear of an industrial complex near State Road 9 and I-70.  At that time, Sanchez and Lopez exited the vehicle and began fleeing on foot, both suspects were quickly apprehended.  Inside the vehicle, a large, black revolver, a second firearm as well as cash and cigarette cartons were discovered.

About an hour prior to the gas station robbery in Lawrence, a Village Pantry was also robbed.  Witnesses from that robbery scene were able to identify Lopez and Sanchez as the two suspects in that robbery.

Lopez and Sanchez were preliminary charged with armed robbery and resisting law enforcement.