Robbery suspects arrested

Tiffany Shaw and Jessica Calton were held on $20,000 bonds.

By Roseann Moring

Published Sept. 29, 2006

Two women involved with several robberies on campus and in the Columbia area were arrested Monday by Columbia police on two counts of second-degree robbery.

Tiffany Shaw, 17, and Jessica Calton, 18, each were held on $20,000 bonds at the Boone County jail at the time of publication on Thursday.

Police said an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip led officers to question Shaw and Calton, who made statements implicating themselves while they were interviewed.

"We believe the two are the only ones involved," Columbia police Sgt. Ken Hammond said.

According to a Columbia police news release, the first robbery linked to the women was at 12:53 a.m. Aug. 12. The release also said the women pushed a female victim to the ground and stole her purse.

Junior Lisa Kuttenkuler said she was robbed on Aug. 12 near her apartment.

"This car slowly approached from behind," she said. "I heard a door slam and all of a sudden this girl ... started grabbing my hair and hitting me."

Kuttenkuler said the girl got into the car and drove off.

"There were two other girls in the car," she said. "I could hear them the whole time. They were like, 'Come on, let's go.'"

Kuttenkuler said she had her cell phone and called the police right away. Her purse was later found.

The release stated the second attack occurred on Aug. 19 while a woman was waiting for a ride outside of Cold Stone Creamery at 2:45 a.m. The release stated several females knocked the woman to the ground and stole her purse.

The final attack occurred Aug. 22 when two women accosted another woman standing outside the Hitt Street parking garage at 11 p.m. The release stated two women pushed the victim to the ground and took items from her purse. The MU Police Department sent a clery release to students and faculty on Aug. 23. The release stated the two women attacked the victim, but no weapons were displayed or inferred during the attack.

The release stated, "The victim received minor injuries and scratches."

Police determined during their investigation that the three robberies were linked because of similar attack descriptions and methods.

The first two robberies were reported to Columbia police, and the third was reported to MU police.

Hammond said the two girls are not connected with any other cases.

Columbia and MU police interviewed the two girls together. The two departments work together "very often," MU police Capt. Brian Weimer said.

According to the Missouri Uniform Crime Report, there were 114 robberies in Columbia in 2005.