Detroit men sentenced for Maxon’s robbery

Two Detroit men were sentenced in federal court yesterday for robbing Springfield jewelry store Maxon’s Diamond Merchants.

Justin Anderson, 33, and Mark Pitts, 32, each were sentenced to five years in prison. They also were ordered to pay $78,374, for which they’re jointly liable, according to a news release from the office of Tom Larson, acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

With the help of a third unknown man, Anderson and Pitts robbed the 2622 S. Glenstone Ave. store in September. The two failed to catch their getaway car, a 2000 Dodge Stratus stolen from a local Target earlier that day, after the driver left the scene without them.

Preceding Anderson and Pitts’ entrance into the store, the unknown man was buzzed into the store and held the door open despite physical opposition by employees. Anderson and Pitts entered through the door and used small sledgehammers to break glass counters and display cases. Officers later discovered 11 Rolex watches, valued at $118,000, were stolen during the robbery, according to the release.

Pitts, who was arrested after employees followed him from the store, told police officers he did not threaten any of the Maxon’s workers but would have used the sledgehammer to harm them if they had resisted the robbery.