Woman accused of helping stage robbery in Jefferson City

A Mid-Missouri woman was arrested late Monday night, and accused of helping stage a fake robbery.

Police reports show 27-year-old Tiffany Southern met up with another woman, Brenda Cecil, in a parking lot on McCarty Street Monday night.

Cecil met others in the parking lot to exchange money for a car payment and was confronted by Southern, who was wearing a handkerchief over her face and holding a knife and stun gun.

Investigators say Southern was acting with Cecil to stage a fake robbery so Cecil wouldn’t have to make the payment and could save the money.

The victim was confronted by Southern and believed a robbery was happening, so he responded by pulling his own knife.

Southern then fled on foot and was caught soon after.

After she was arrested, law enforcement found a white crystal substance in Southern’s possession, which didn’t test positive for meth.

She did have a pipe with white residue, and confessed to the fake robbery.

She also reportedly confessed to having the imitation drugs and admitted to smoking meth a few days before the incident.

Southern is charged with second degree assault, armed criminal action, possession of imitation controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.