Published: September 08, 2008 10:10 am      

Subway, Plaza Drug Store robbed by women

London officials make arrests in two separate Friday incidents

By Brad Hicks / Staff Writer

Two women were arrested this weekend in separate armed robberies that occurred Friday afternoon in Laurel County.

Members of the Kentucky State Police London Post arrested a London woman early Saturday for the armed robbery of a Laurel County pharmacy.

According to police, 20-year-old Shasta L. Vaughn entered the Plaza Drug Store on U.S. 25 Friday afternoon and requested the assistance of an employee. While the employee was helping her, Vaughn allegedly uncovered a firearm from her waistband and demanded prescription narcotics.

Police say she didn’t leave with any drugs but fled the scene following the incident.

Police were later able to get Vaughn’s description from witnesses and a security video. Vaughn led police on an ATV chase in Laurel County before being arrest at approximately 1 a.m. Saturday by members of the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. She was charged with first-degree robbery.

Also on Friday, at approximately 2:30 p.m., the London City Police received a report of an armed robbery at the Subway restaurant on Dons Drive. A witness provided officers with a description of the suspect and advised them that she had fled to the nearby Wal-Mart and entered the store through the lawn and garden area.

Police searched Wal-Mart and saw the suspect allegedly attempting to leave the store approximately 15 minutes after they arrived.

Sgt. Blaine Inman and Officer John Whitehead arrested 19-year-old Jessica D. Ball of Sexton’s Creek without incident and charged her with the robbery.

Ball was also charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after she was found to allegedly be in possession of heroin. Ball was taken to the Laurel County Detention Center, where she was being held on a $50,000 cash bond.