Local News

Robber Ordered Pizza Delivered Before Arrest

(Michigan City, IN) - A New Buffalo man suspected of a recent bank robbery ordered a pizza while in hiding and paid for the tab with money from the heist. Those are among the new details alleged in the case against Ryan James.

 

James, 43, is charged in LaPorte Superior Court 1 with the December 15th robbery of First Source Bank in the 3900 block of Franklin Street in Michigan City. According to court documents, James on a note slipped to a teller demanding money and indicating he had a gun.

 

James, who was wearing a mask, fled with about $4,000 in a dark-colored sport utility vehicle with a Chicago White Sox sticker in the back window, police said. A Pokagon Tribal Police officer soon located the suspected getaway vehicle outside Judy’s Motel on U.S. 12 just west of the New Buffalo city limits. The motel was placed under surveillance while police and prosecutors gathered evidence to present to a judge for an arrest warrant. James then had a pizza delivered to his motel room and paid the tab with the stolen money judging by the serial numbers on the bills matching the currency taken from the bank, according to court documents.

 

About three hours later, an arrest warrant was obtained and James obeyed commands from officers to step out of the room.  James allegedly confessed to the robbery and stated he did not have a gun during the hold-up,  court documents revealed. He was booked into the Berrien County Jail and held until he could be transported across state lines to the LaPorte County Jail to face the allegations.

 

Berrien County Police Undersheriff Chuck Heit said there’s a process that must be followed before offenders can be taken to face charges in other jurisdictions. He anticipates James will be given to authorities in LaPorte County sometime in the next 30 days.  He would not be more specific on exactly when that will occur.

 

“From a safety and security standpoint in moving offenders, we don’t let anybody know when that is going to happen,” he said.

Weather Center

High School Scoreboard

Sports Scores

Facebook