An Illinois man’s attempt to conceal his identity during a late-night traffic stop ended with police discovering a loaded handgun and property connected to several vehicle burglaries. However, the situation only became more complicated after officers transported him to jail and discovered additional items he had apparently kept hidden on his person.
According to the Nashville Police Department, officers received reports of several vehicle burglaries in the northeastern part of town between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on October 11, 2026. Multiple officers responded to the area to search for suspects and investigate the break-ins.
Shortly after midnight on October 12, an officer spotted a suspicious vehicle traveling along side streets with four people inside. During a traffic stop, one passenger allegedly provided a false name, prompting officers to remove him from the vehicle and investigate his identity.
Police eventually identified the passenger as 18-year-old Kayden C. Robertson of Bethalto, Illinois, and arrested him for obstructing identification. What initially appeared to be an arrest over a false name soon developed into a much larger investigation involving a firearm, stolen property, and seven criminal charges.
Police Discover Loaded Handgun Beneath Suspect’s Seat
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According to the Nashville Police Department, officers became suspicious when Robertson appeared to provide false identifying information during the traffic stop. After determining his identity, they arrested him for obstructing identification and continued investigating the vehicle.
During a subsequent search, officers discovered a loaded handgun underneath the seat where Robertson had been sitting. Police also identified Robertson as a convicted felon, making the discovery particularly significant given the restrictions on firearm possession associated with his criminal history.
Robertson was transported to the Washington County Jail, while the vehicle’s three remaining occupants, including two juveniles and another adult, were released from the scene. However, the investigation took another turn once Robertson arrived at the jail, where authorities discovered items that connected him to the earlier vehicle burglaries.
Stolen Property Found Hidden on Suspect at Jail Leads to Seven Charges
Police say officers discovered numerous items concealed on Robertson’s person after he was brought to the Washington County Jail. Investigators identified the property as having been stolen during the vehicle burglaries reported the previous evening, adding another development to an arrest that began with a suspected false name.
Robertson now faces seven charges: obstructing identification, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, armed violence, burglary to a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of debit or credit cards, and obstructing justice. The Nashville Police Department said the investigation remains ongoing and that no additional information would be released at the time of its announcement.
There is currently no publicly searchable official inmate or case information available through the Washington County Sheriff’s Office website to provide additional details about Robertson’s custody status, bond, or upcoming court proceedings. For now, the Nashville Police Department’s release provides the available account of how a late-night traffic stop led to an arrest involving a loaded handgun and property connected to the earlier car burglaries.