LIBERTY, Mo. – A crime spree that included shoplifting and a car being stolen ended inside a Liberty home with a brief standoff on Friday afternoon.
Police say a 21-year-old suspect stole something from Kohl’s in Independence, and then stole a car to get away. It is unclear if it was a break-in or carjacking.
Independence police followed for a while and then ended the pursuit before the suspect crashed into several cars at 291 Highway and Ruth Ewing. Witnesses told police that the man got out of the car and threatened them with a gun before running off.
Police caught up to him and chased him to a house on Bob White Lane, which happened to be vacant. Police say the suspect kicked in the door and the standoff began. It was a tense hour and a half for the neighbors next door.
“I had actually taken a nap and woke to my husband grabbing our gun saying there were policemen pointing guns at the house, because we didn’t know where they were pointing,” said neighbor Cheyenne Hough.
“Stepped out the front door and there was a police officer, and he said, ‘you need to stay in your house and get down as low as you can. There is someone next door who kicked the door in, standoff over there,’” Robert Hough said.
Neighbors said a SWAT team surrounded the house. Police said a female negotiator talked the suspect out of the house and the incident was over.