Update On T-Mobile Robbery & Chase
On January 6, 2020 East Chicago Officers were dispatched to the T-Mobile cellular store located at 4601 Indianapolis Blvd in reference to a robbery, Deputy Chief Jose Rivera of The East Chicago Police told RNS. Upon arrival officers met with the employees and customers who were in the store at the time of the robbery. Witnesses advised officers that 2 males wearing ski masks entered the store. One of the males had a handgun and was pointing it at them while the other male had his hand in his shirt indicating he had a handgun, Rivera said. A customer was struck in the back of the head with a handgun by one of the robbers. One of the suspects then asked the employee where they keep all the phones. The employee advised the robber that the phones were in the back of the store. The robber then struck the employee in the back of the head with his gun and ordered everyone to the back of the store. Once in back of the store the suspects ordered the employee to unload the safe with all the phones into a bag. Once all the phones were placed in the bag the suspects fled out the back door.
The suspects were tracked going into Hammond. Hammond PD located the suspects and gave chase leading them to jump out a red mini van near Harrison & 169th. After a brief foot pursuit Hammond Police captured one of the alleged suspects near Lyman. Hammond PD then assisted East Chicago with a K9 search of the area for the other suspect as well as a search of a nearby home on Fernwood . EC Detectives are investigating the robbery and currently reviewing surveillance video and working on a search warrant for the vehicle that was recovered. The suspect that was apprehended by Hammond Pd was 23 year old Anthony D. Coates of Lafayette Indiana. He is currently in custody at the East Chicago Police Department.
Rivera wanted to thank Hammond PD for their quick response and assistance. “Their quick response led to the apprehension of 1 potential suspect and the recovery of critical evidence related to the robbery,” Rivera stated Tuesday.
Update: Detective Angelo Machuca filed the following charges today at the Lake County Prosecutors Office against Anthony D. Coates:
Armed Robbery (Level 3 Felony)
Criminal Confinement (Level 3 Felony)
2 counts of Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon (Level 5 Felony)
Theft (Level 6 Felony)
Resisting Law Enforcement (A Misdemeanor)
Suspect is in custody at the Lake County Jail.
Photo – Paul Goddard RNS
Photo – Paul Goddard – RNS
