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Criminal Records - Most Wanted |
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Profile |
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Name: Tommy Jerome Hardin
(Thomas Jerome Hardin, Jerome Hardin, Tommy Germone Hardin)
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Sex: Male |
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Race: Black |
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Age Now: 35 |
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Height: 5'10" - 6'01" |
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Weight: 150 - 200 lbs. |
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Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair): Black
Balding
Frequently has heavy stubble, a slight beard |
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Eyes (Color and Correction): Brown |
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Other Physical Characteristics: Has a very pronounced underbite
Talks with a speech impediment |
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Wanted for :
Kidnapping, Owensboro, KY;
Aug 22, 2003
Escape, Elizabethtown, KY;
Aug 29, 2005
Armed Robbery (37 cts), Bowling Green, KY
Armed Robbery (37 cts), Louisville, KY
Armed Robbery (37 cts), Hardin County, KY
Armed Robbery (37 cts), Elizabethtown, KY
Armed Robbery (37 cts), Radcliff, KY
Armed Robbery (37 cts), Owensboro, KY
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Location(s) |
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Last Seen : Bowling Green, KY
Louisville, KY
Hardin County, KY
Kentucky
Elizabethtown, KY
Radcliff, KY
Owensboro, KY
Kentucky police say Hardin escaped from the Hardin County Detention Center in Elizabethtown.
They say he was headed to Louisville. |
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Possible Location : Cincinnati, OH
Bolivar, OH
Kentucky
Michigan
Detroit, MI
Hardin was last tracked to Louisville, but could be anywhere. |
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Last Known : Elizabethtown, KY
Hardin grew up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. |
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Traits |
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Described as having a hot-head temper |
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Has a lengthy criminal history |
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Cops say he uses crack cocaine |
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Cops say he may be armed and dangerous |
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Case Story |
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Serial Armed Robbers Wreak Havoc On Kentucky |
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In 2003, central Kentucky was plagued with a rash of armed robberies at local restaurants and businesses. The gang of thieves was so cocky that they would even call their victims beforehand and say, "You're about to be robbed," and then show up minutes later to do their dirty work.
Police say the gang targeted businesses with poor surveillance equipment, but sometimes investigators got lucky and were able to catch the thieves on tape.
In some cases, the armed robbers bound, gagged and even stabbed restaurant workers, all while allegedly holding their victims at gunpoint. Police say the thieves also pistol-whipped some of their victims and even fondled and threatened to rape some female victims. |
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Police Form Task Force |
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Cops attribute at least 37 robberies to the gang of --usually two, but sometimes as many as five -- thieves. But police fear they actually may have struck as many as 100 times.
The Louisville Metro Police Department headed up a task force comprised of jurisdictions from eight different counties all affected by the rash of robberies. The task force set up several surveillances on possible targeted businesses, but got nowhere. The burglary gang never struck while cops were waiting.
Then a break -- one of the thieves cut himself while brandishing a knife during one of the robberies. Crime scene investigators gathered the blood at the scene and cops had one of the robber's DNA on file.
After that, cops say they were able to link a suspect based on victim and eyewitness accounts. And when they ran Tommy Jerome Hardin's blood against the DNA at the crime scene, they had a perfect match.
Police picked up Hardin and his fellow thieves and charged them in 37 armed robberies. Cops say that once in custody, Hardin confessed and even identified himself in some surveillance stills from the robberies. |
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Hardin Has Other Plans |
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Tommy Hardin was held on the robbery charges at the Hardin County Jail in his hometown of Elizabethtown, and police believed that the sheer number of charges against him would keep him in jail for a very long time.
But cops say Hardin had other plans and was not going down quietly.
On Aug. 25, 2005, police say Hardin showed up for his court date, but had no intention of going to trial. Cops say he fired his attorney in open court and was held in contempt, so police put him back in the Hardin County lock-up until a new court date could be set.
But investigators think this was all an elaborate ruse. They believe Hardin had already figured out how to escape the local jail and wanted to be put back in until he had the opportunity to make a break for it.
According to authorities, that opportunity came just four days later on August 29th. During a routine prisoner movement, cops say Hardin and an accomplice --Albert Jecker-- made their way to the jail's maintenance room. Detectives say that once inside, they pushed open a hatch that led them to the roof. Later, deputies found prison clothes on the rooftop and police believe Hardin and Jecker escaped in only their underwear.
Police say Hardin and Jecker are on the loose and could be anywhere. They say a car was stolen in Elizabethtown on the night of the escape and was later recovered in Louisville. Cops don't know if Jecker and Hardin were in that car, but if so, that's where the trail goes cold. |
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