Two arrested for Lancaster theater robbery; three suspects sought
Police arrested two suspects and are searching for three more suspects in the armed robbery of a Lancaster movie theater last week.
The robbery happened late at night on August 2 at the Cinemark Theater off Interstate 35 and Pleasant Run Road. Three people, wearing all black, came in with guns and forced the manager into the office and assaulted him.
Authorities arrested Andrew Ladarius Taylor, 17, and Tamia Gaines, 17, on Wednesday. They are charged with one count of aggravated robbery and were taken into custody at the DeSoto Tri-City jail.
Andrew was an employee of the theater and his girlfriend, Tamia, was a former theater employee.
Police are still searching for Malik Reed-Sanders, 18, Ashley Simone Freeman, 18, and Reginald Dwayne Freeman, 20.
Police say the victim who was attacked in a back office recognized Andrew’s voice behind his mask.
After questioning the 17 year old, he gave investigators the information needed to file arrest warrants on three other suspects.
Police say Ashley also worked at the theater, backing up suspicions that the robbery was an inside job.
The arrest affidavit says the suspects stole more than $7,000,
The robbers took an undisclosed amount of cash and ran. There was some concern that they were still inside the building so SWAT officers were called in, but the suspects had already escaped, police said.
There were still some 200 people inside watching movies with no idea the theater was being robbed.
Anyone with information about the location of the remaining suspects is asked to contact the Lancaster Police Department at 972-218-2711.