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Accused gas station robbers may have been planning more crimes, police say

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Court documents detail how a pair of teenagers robbed six gas stations in two days.

On Oct. 24, a woman at an apartment complex on White River Parkway was carjacked. Documents describe how she got into a struggle with the suspects before they stole her Ford Focus.

IMPD says 17-year old Christopher Rocheleau and 18-year-old Mekhi Rosenthall used that vehicle to rob the gas stations over a two-day span, including a gas station co-owned by Sahil Malhi.

On Oct. 26 shortly before midnight, Malhi was cleaning out the coffee machine at the Conoco on Washington Street when the suspects walked into the store.

“I see one guy standing and opening the door, having a gun — a brown colored gun in his hand — then I went back to the ice machine, then I called police,” said Malhi.

Malhi’s dad was standing behind the bulletproof glass separating the cash register from the counter. The frustrated robbers left without stealing anything.

Malhi believes if he was closer to the front door, the situation would have played out differently.

“Thirty or 40 seconds before I was out — maybe I got shot, or maybe they took me hostage and made my father give me money or maybe they would harm me or kill me,” he said, imagining what could have happened.

According to the documents, the Rosenthall and Rocheleau may have been planning to commit another carjacking before police caught up with them on Nov. 1.

Detectives saw the suspects crouched down by some cars at a dialysis center on 10th Street.

Detectives chased after the suspects and arrested Rosenthall after he suffered a K-9 bite.

Officers eventually caught up with Rochaleau at his home, which is less than a mile from the original carjacking scene.

Rosenthall and Rocheleau are facing multiple charges of robbery and attempted robbery. Rosenthall is also charged with carrying a handgun without a license.

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