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Business News
Independence, MO —
An Independence man has been charged in connection with an attempted robbery late Thursday night in which several citizens stopped and subdued the alleged robber.
It happened a few minutes before midnight at the 7-Eleven on 23rd Street west of Sterling, according to the Jackson County prosecutor’s office and Independence police.
Police say Patrick J.E. Maze, 28, went into the store with a white towel over his face. He showed a pocketknife, demanded that the clerk hand over money and ordered customers to the floor. He grabbed money from the counter and tried to leave. At least three people outside the store saw what was going on, and at least two of them held the door shut.
Maze, being unable to leave, then started chasing customers around the store, police say. Those customers included a man and his 12-year-old daughter, and that man fell.
Maze stood over him and appeared ready to stab him. The man told police that Maze lunged at him with the knife repeatedly, and the man said he defended himself and his daughter with a metal bat.
At that point, one of the people holding the door rushed in and hit Maze with a champagne bottle. He fell, and others began throwing things at him. People there kept him from getting up and leaving until police arrived.
On Friday, Maze was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action. All are felonies. Prosecutors asked for a cash bond of $250,000.
An Independence man has been charged in connection with an attempted robbery late Thursday night in which several citizens stopped and subdued the alleged robber.
It happened a few minutes before midnight at the 7-Eleven on 23rd Street west of Sterling, according to the Jackson County prosecutor’s office and Independence police.
Police say Patrick J.E. Maze, 28, went into the store with a white towel over his face. He showed a pocketknife, demanded that the clerk hand over money and ordered customers to the floor. He grabbed money from the counter and tried to leave. At least three people outside the store saw what was going on, and at least two of them held the door shut.
Maze, being unable to leave, then started chasing customers around the store, police say. Those customers included a man and his 12-year-old daughter, and that man fell.
Maze stood over him and appeared ready to stab him. The man told police that Maze lunged at him with the knife repeatedly, and the man said he defended himself and his daughter with a metal bat.
At that point, one of the people holding the door rushed in and hit Maze with a champagne bottle. He fell, and others began throwing things at him. People there kept him from getting up and leaving until police arrived.
On Friday, Maze was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action. All are felonies. Prosecutors asked for a cash bond of $250,000.
