Chicago area police sergeant charged in robberies suspended

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) - A suburban Chicago police sergeant charged last month with taking part in the robbery of two gas stations at gunpoint has been suspended without pay from his job.

The Park Ridge Herald-Advocate reports that the Rosemont Public Safety Commission voted Wednesday to approve the request made by Public Safety Superintendent Donald E. Stephens III to formally suspend Sgt. Edward J. Karas.

Karas and Wright W. O'Laughlin were arrested by area police who stopped them because they matched the description of the suspects in a robbery of a Park Ridge gas station and were driving a vehicle similar to the one used by the suspects.

At the time of his arrest, Karas had been stripped of his police powers pending an unrelated internal investigation.