Man charged with armed robbery of auto parts store

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A man is accused of robbing an employee of an auto parts store at gunpoint, according to court records.

On October 17, South Bend Police responded to O'Reilly Auto Parts store on Lincolnway West for a report of a robbery.

The employee told police two men came into the store looking for lug nuts, then left the store.

She then gathered the store's cash deposits and went to her car to take the deposits to the bank.

While in her vehicle, one of the men who had just been in the store approached her vehicle. At first he asked for her number, but she declined, reports said.

He then pulled out a handgun, pushed it against her and asked for the bag, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The victim was upset and fell into the steering wheel, causing it to sound.

The man pushed her against the seat and told her again to give him the bag, reports said.

She handed the bag to the man.

The man then got into a gray Ford Fusion, with the other man who was exiting the Auto Zone next door, and drove away, reports said.

Police reviewed surveillance footage from Auto Zone and it showed the robbery.

Approximately 20 minutes later, police received a 911 call from someone who had information on the robbery.

Police responded to the area and spoke with the man.

The man said he was with the man who robbed the O'Reilly Auto Parts store. He said he didn't know the man well but has hung around with him a few times.

On that day, the man, later identified as James Thomas, texted him and asked to use the Fusion and offered him $10 to use it, according to the probable cause affidavit.

When the witness picked up Thomas, Thomas offered to buy bolts at the O'Reilly Auto Parts store for him. He said when they went to O'Reilly, they didn't have the right size bolts, so he went next door to Auto Zone.

When he came out of the Auto Zone, Thomas was in his car along with a gun and bags of money on his lap, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The man said he was scared so he drove the suspect back home, drove away and called 911.

The witness gave police the phone number for the suspect.

Police used that to determine the phone belonged to Thomas. A photo array with Thomas in it was shown to the employee who was robbed.

Police said she identified Thomas in the lineup as the person who robbed her, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Thomas has been charged with one count of armed robbery.