Two charged with robbing GameStop

Police say a man made quick use of a pellet gun he stole from Wal-Mart: He robbed a video game store across the parking lot.

Suspect Merle A. Andrew Jr., 36, was arrested early Friday for a robbery Tuesday at GameStop in Airway Heights.

Surveillance video shows a man police believe is Andrew steal the Airsoft pistol from the Wal-Mart at 1221 S. Hayford Road about 4 p.m., then return to a 1997 Honda Accord that was parked in the fire lane, according to court documents.

The car traveled through the parking lot to GameStop, where Andrew left the vehicle and returned after robbing the store of $976, police say. Police identified the driver as Nicole N. Stearns, 29, and arrested her at the same time as Andrew.

A sheriff’s deputy located the Accord at Highway 2 and Spotted Road about 1:30 a.m. Friday and detained Andrew and  Stearns.

Stearns allegedly told officers she drove when Andrew committed five other robberies in Spokane County, police say.

Stearns and Andrew were jailed on a first-degree robbery charge.