ST. LOUIS – FOX 2 has learned police arrested two suspects in an alarming case of reckless driving caught on camera in St. Louis.

The individuals were in a stolen vehicle with suspected narcotics and an illegal weapon, according to police.

However, they were freed within hours because of a Circuit Attorney’s Office policy on reviewing cases involving suspected narcotics.

Surveillance video shows vehicle after vehicle blowing through a 4-way stop outside the historic Crown Candy Kitchen at 14th Street and St. Louis Avenue shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday. It seemed to be just another case of reckless driving in St. Louis. It turned out police were pursuing at least one stolen vehicle and made the two arrests.

“Well good, I’m glad. Something just needs to be done,” said Crown Candy customer, Joann Brauss, of Florissant. “Boy, it’s just gotten crazy trying maneuver between all of the cars. It’s just not right. We want to keep coming (to Crown Candy).”

“It’s nice to know these guys are (pursued) and caught, hopefully,” Andy Karandzieff, Crown Candy owner, said.

Though caught in this case, they were released pending felony charges.

The stretch of St. Louis Avenue in front of Crown Candy is popular among car thieves because of close access to Interstate 70 and the Stan Musial Bridge into Illinois. Such was the case Sunday night.

Police claim a silver Ram pickup truck was stolen on Feb. 22. Accomplices were following close behind it, and of the drivers were speeding as they ran through the 4-way stop.

They eventually headed for the bridge, but officers were able to spike the pickup’s tires. The truck came to a stop near the bridge entrance. Six people got out and ran, four of whom jumped into one of the trailing vehicles. Officers arrested the other two men in a nearby field.

One of the men had suspected narcotics, while the other allegedly had a Glock handgun with an illegal auto-sear device, making it a rapid-fire automatic weapon.

Yet, in spite of the dangerous driving in a stolen vehicle with an illegal weapon and suspected illegal drugs, the suspects were released pending application for felony charges.

“What kind of message does that send to criminals and to law-abiding citizens? It’s kind of the wild west out here,” Karandzieff said. “We’re all fending for ourselves, hoping and praying we’re not the victims of this crime. We all just want to live someplace safe and not have to worry about crossing the street or going through a green light.”

“We just hope things start changing,” Brauss said.

Police claim the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office requires lab results for cases involving suspected narcotics before considering any other charges. In this case, those other charges include vehicle tampering, resisting arrest, and illegal weapon possession.

A spokeswoman for the Circuit Attorney’s Office, on the other hand, said that the police claim was not true and that any case involving a threat to public safety should be looked at within 24 hours.