3 arrested in Circle K armed robbery

Three individuals were arrested Friday morning for allegedly robbing the Circle K gas station on the corner of East Third Street and South Indiana Avenue with a firearm.

Although Bloomington Police Detective Sgt. John Kovach said police were still interviewing gas station employees at noon Friday, arrested individuals Jeremy Vestal, Josh Howerton and Ashley Close told detectives the robbery was an inside job, arranged by Circle K employees.

At about 2:46 a.m., Kovach said police were notified of the robbery and given a description of the culprit. A Circle K employee described the culprit as a white male wearing camouflage with a bandana pulled over his face. The suspect was later identified as Vestal. 

Following the incident, where Vestal allegedly got away with an undisclosed amount of cash on a bicycle, Kovach said a police officer observed a man with a similar description riding a bicycle near the corner of East Fourth Street and South Dunn Street.

After turning around to track the individual, Kovach said the officer found a bicycle he believed the suspect was riding, but the suspect was not there.

Around the same time, Kovach said another officer stopped another man, later identified as Howerton, on a bicycle.

The officer determined Howerton was not the robbery suspect, Kovach said. But Howerton answered questions in a way that made the officer believe he was involved or was aware of the incident. He also gave the officer his address, which was on the 1500 block of West Kirkwood Avenue, before releasing Howerton.

Kovach said detectives then contacted Yellow Cab and asked if any cab drivers picked up individuals matching a description of the robbery suspect. A Yellow Cab employee told officers a cab had picked up two men, one with a matching description, on the 1500 block of West Kirkwood Avenue.

At that time, the Yellow Cab employee told authorities the cab was currently en route to the Motel 6 at 1800 N. Walnut Street. The cab dropped the suspects off at the motel at about 3:34 a.m.

Meeting the cab at Motel 6, officers found Vestal and Howerton in the lobby, along with Close.

Following questioning and recovering a pistol and cash, police took the three individuals into custody.

After making statements that the robbery was a set-up from a gas station clerk, Vestal was arrested for theft, a Class D felony, and possession of a handgun without a permit, a Class A misdemeanor. Kovach said Howerton and Close were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit theft, a Class D felony, and various smaller charges. 

More information about the robbery will become available as the investigation progresses. Kovach said police are continuing to interview Circle K employees about the incident. Nobody was injured.