A quartet of juveniles definitely chose the wrong house to prank with a game of “ding-dong ditch” in Springfield, Missouri, last week. The prank involves pressing the doorbell of a residence and then running away.
The group on Jan. 19 approached a home in the Edgewood Street area occupied by 40-year-old Melvin Rankin and rang the doorbell, KOLR-TV reported. They observed Rankin looking out the window, so they rang the doorbell a second time, the Centre Daily Times reported.
Rankin pointed his gun at the back of one juvenile’s head, police told the Daily Times. He then asked them, ‘Who sent you?’ and ‘Where’s the gun?’ the paper said, citing the probable cause statement.
The garage door began to open, and the juveniles heard a gunshot from inside the garage, the Daily Times said, citing court documents. The paper said the juveniles fled to their car and started to speed off.
Rankin, with a gun in hand, got into his vehicle and began to follow them, police told the Daily Times.
The group reached a dead end where Rankin stopped, pointed a gun at the four juveniles, and told them to lay on the ground, KOLR reported, citing court documents. The gun in question was a sawed-off shotgun, HuffPost reported, citing the affidavit.
Rankin pointed his gun at the back of one juvenile’s head, police told the Daily Times. He then asked them, “Who sent you?” and “Where’s the gun?” the paper said, citing the probable cause statement.
The juveniles said they apologized and told Rankin they were playing ding-dong ditch, and he let them go, the Daily Times said, citing court documents. However, KOLR said Rankin also demanded and took the keys to their vehicle and left.
The next day officers arrested Rankin during a traffic stop and conducted a search of his residence, KOLR said, adding that police found a 20-gauge shotgun in his home along with two handguns and a controlled substance in his vehicle. The shotgun had an apparent handmade stock and shorter barrel, HuffPost reported, citing the affidavit.
Police also said Rankin is on permanent GPS monitoring over a previous statutory rape conviction, has failed to report as a sex offender, and also admitted an affiliation with the Crips gang, HuffPost noted.
Rankin’s girlfriend told police that someone rang their doorbell and that when she looked through a Ring camera, she saw a masked male at the front door holding a gun, HuffPost noted, citing the affidavit.
The girlfriend added that when the doorbell rang a second time, she and Rankin went to the garage, HuffPost reported, citing the affidavit, adding that while Rankin decided to open the garage door to confront the person at the door, she went back into the house. KOLR said she later looked at the Ring video again and saw the individual was wearing gloves.
Rankin is charged with six felonies, including first-degree robbery, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm, the station reported.
Police also said Rankin is on permanent GPS monitoring over a previous statutory rape conviction, has failed to report as a sex offender, and also admitted an affiliation with the Crips gang, HuffPost noted.
KOLR added that Rankin also has been convicted of possession of a controlled substance, breaking and entering, and driving while revoked.
Rankin is being held in Greene County Jail without bond, the Daily Times said, citing court records, and his attorney information was not listed.
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Ding dong ditch, Missouri, Springfield, Juveniles, Held at gunpoint, Robbery, Car chase, Arrest, Gps monitoring, Prank, Crips gang, Statutory rape conviction, Repeat offender, Crime
