Chicago — A fugitive from Tennessee committed two armed robberies on the North Side, only to get caught after Chicago police tracked his movements to a casino, officials said Thursday. But his lawyer says he is “a self-proclaimed man of faith.”
Timothy Lewis, 26, wore masks during the holdups, but investigators identified him through his license plate, GPS, an ID scan at the casino, and his quirky decision to wear mismatched shoes.
Prosecutors said he robbed a liquor store at gunpoint in the 1400 block of West Devon around 11 p.m. on November 12, getting away with about $1,200, a six-pack of Modelo, and a pack of Newports. Store video showed the robber wearing Birkenstock sandals, having a tattoo on the back of his hand, and sporting a unique bracelet. But he also wore a mask, making identification difficult.
Three days later, he robbed a woman at gunpoint in the 1900 block of West Peterson, taking a necklace and about $450, prosecutors said. The video showed the robber wearing a mask, the same clothing as the liquor store robber, and Jordan gym shoes with white soles.
Investigators identified a car the robber may have used and determined that the license plates were registered to Lewis. The vehicle’s GPS pinged near both robbery scenes and then to an unidentified casino, prosecutors said.
Video from the casino allegedly showed Lewis getting out of the suspected vehicle and showing his ID to enter the venue while wearing one Birkenstock sandal and one Jordan sneaker with a white sole.
When police arrested Lewis at a motel this week, he was wearing the distinctive bracelet, one Birkenstock sandal, and one Jordan sneaker with a white sole. He also has a tattoo on his hand, prosecutors said. Cops found about $3,000 in his motel room.
Prosecutors said he is wanted in Tennessee for robbery. He also has a 2011 forgery conviction in Mississippi. He’s now charged with two counts of armed robbery with a firearm in Chicago.
Yet, his public defender said he is a lifelong resident of Cook County who supports three children and is “a self-proclaimed man of faith.”
Judge Kelly McCarthy held him without bail on the Tennessee warrant. If the warrant matter is cleared up, he will need to post $15,000 to get out of jail on electronic monitoring for the new case.
