NASHVILLE, Ill. — A traffic stop shortly after midnight on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, led to the arrest of an 18-year-old Bethalto man after Nashville Police officers said they found a loaded handgun beneath his seat and later discovered items police identified as stolen from vehicles burglarized the previous evening, according to the department.
Kayden C. Robertson was arrested after an officer stopped a vehicle on side streets in Nashville. Police had sent officers to the northeast area of town after receiving reports of several vehicle burglaries between about 8 and 9:30 p.m. Oct. 11, 2026.
The officer identified four people during the stop. Robertson, a passenger, was detained because officers suspected he had provided a false name, police said. After determining his identity, officers arrested him on suspicion of obstructing identification.
A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded handgun underneath Robertson’s seat, according to police, who said Robertson was a convicted felon.
Robertson was taken to the Washington County Jail. Two juveniles and another adult were released from the traffic stop.
At the jail, authorities discovered numerous items concealed on Robertson that police identified as property stolen during the vehicle burglaries the evening before.
Robertson was charged with:
- Obstructing Identification
- Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon
- Unlawful Possession of Firearm by Felon
- Armed Violence
- Burglary to Motor Vehicle
- Unlawful Possession of Debit/Credit Cards
- Obstructing Justice
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court or other proceedings. This incident remains an ongoing investigation.
