On Tuesday, May 31, Champaign Police responded to an alleyway behind the 500 block of West Green Street for a report of an attempted robbery. Reports indicated that a box truck was pulling into the alley when two male subjects approached the driver and made threats to his cargo, causing him to immediately leave the area. When he returned a short time later, he saw one of the males holding a firearm and called police.
Officers arriving on scene found multiple weapons in plain view in the vehicle where the two males had previously been gathered. The weapons included two handguns and two rifles, specifically a Colt .45 semi-automatic handgun, a Mossberg International .22 caliber rifle, a Savage Arms .22 caliber rifle, and a Heritage Rough Rider .22 caliber revolver. At least one of the weapons listed as stolen in Ohio. While investigating the scene, the two subjects returned to the area and were immediately arrested by officers. Terry Tarleton, 40, and Bobby Carter, 32, both face charges of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, and Attempted Robbery. They remain in the custody of the Champaign County Correctional Center, awaiting trial.
“Thanks to the efforts of this quick-thinking driver, these weapons will not be used to cause harm in Champaign,” said Interim Chief of Police Thomas Petrilli. “This is an excellent example of the community assisting law enforcement in keeping our community safe, and Champaign Police are thankful for the assist.”
Champaign Police remind the community that anyone with information on a criminal act can contact police at 217-351-4545. Arrangements can be made for information to be shared privately. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at: 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tips information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers, and conversations are not recorded.
Crime Stoppers will pay cash rewards of $5,000 for tips that lead to an arrest in any homicide case, $2,500 for tips leading to an arrest in a felony crime involving a firearm, and up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for any other crime.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.