Three people have been charged in connection to a string of seven armed robberies in Hammond over a week in November.
Heather Wright, 20, of Hammond; Jessica Tate, age unknown, of Hammond, and Gregory Joshua Smith, 23, address unknown, are all charged with seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery. Smith is also charged with seven counts each of carrying a gun during a crime of violence and possessing a gun as a felon.
Wright and Smith had already been arrested after Wright was accused of shooting a clerk during an armed robbery of Hammond Liquors, 7448 Columbia Ave., on Nov. 19. The status of the clerk was unclear as of Friday. Wright told police afterward that Smith needed money, so they decided to rob the store, according to a probable cause affidavit. Wright said she did not go into the liquor store with Smith but that he came out telling her he did something stupid and to leave quickly. She told police she didn’t know he shot anyone until she heard about the shooting on the news, according to the affidavit.
Smith later admitted to police he robbed the store and shot the clerk, the affidavit says. Wright has been released on a $20,000 bond, and Smith has been ordered held without bail. It was unclear as of Friday afternoon if Tate has been arrested.
The indictment, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court in Hammond, says the robbery spree started Nov. 13 at Nate’s Tobacco, 1403 173rd St., and Gallop’s Marathon gas station, 6502 Kennedy Ave.
They followed that up the next day by robbing the Witham’s gas station, 2847 165th St., and then robbing a Boost Mobile store, 3506 165th St., on Nov. 16, the indictment charges.
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The affidavit says they finished up the spree Nov. 19 with the robbery of the liquor store; Manny’s Chicago Style Dawgs House, 6217 Kennedy Ave.; and Briar East Liquors, 3217 169th St.