A Tennessee convict burst into a Lakeview neighborhood restaurant over the weekend, robbed a waitress and forced a suburban mother and her two young children into a back bathroom before taking their cell phones, prosecutors said in court today.
William Castle, 43, was charged with aggravated robbery, unlawful restraint, kidnapping and attempted robbery in the heist Sunday evening at Cassava bakery and smoothie shop in the 3300 block of North Clark Street, Cook County prosecutors said. He was ordered held in lieu of $1 million by Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr.
The Buffalo Grove family was eating at Cassava, 3338 N. Clark St., about 6:10 p.m. when the suspect came in and asked the 19-year-old woman serving them if a bathroom was available, according to a police report. The waitress showed him where it was but he entered the kitchen area instead, grabbed the server by the collar and said: "Give me all the cash," according to a police report.
The waitress opened the register drawer and gave him $333, but when he yelled: "Is this it?" the Buffalo Grove mother began crying.
Castle then ordered the 43-year-old Buffalo Grove woman, her 13-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter into a rear bathroom.
While keeping his hand in his pocket, the robber told the woman: "Just give me the cash and no one will get hurt; I don't want to have to hurt you!" according to a police report.
The Buffalo Grove woman locked herself and the kids into the bathroom as the suspect continued yelling at the waitress: "Give me the rest of the money -- I've robbed 36 other places and am going away for life! I need more money!' "
The suspect knocked on the bathroom door and told the woman to "make sure" she didn't call 911 and then demanded all their phones.
The woman had just enough time to send a text to her husband that read: "Don't come robber in here call 911," the report said. She then showed the man she hadn't made any calls. The robber stole an iPod touch and cell phone from them, according to prosecutors and court records.
The woman’s husband got the text and called police, and officers raced to the scene.
The suspect took the phone and the iPod touch and said: "I'll give you ten minutes. If the cops show up I'll shoot each and every one of you," the report said.
The robber demanded that the waitress shut all the lights off to make it appear as if the restaurant was closed, according to the report. The man then grabbed the teen by the shoulders, shook her violently and tried to kiss her. As police arrived in front of the shop, the robber took the waitress to the back of the business. As the woman screamed and started to cry, he threatened to choke her if she didn't stop making noise, according to the police report.
The robber then saw the officers out front and tried to run out the back. An officer stationed there arrested him at gunpoint, and several other officers placed handcuffs on him, the report said.
He was found with $333 in cash in his right front pocket, prosecutors said.
When asked whose money it was, Castle replied, "It's their money," according to a police report.
Castle's record in Tennessee includes a 1993 conviction for attempted rape, robbery and kidnapping, prosecutors said. In 1994, he was convicted of aggravated sexual battery, robbery and kidnapping and sentenced to 16 years in state prison.
Castle completed his sentence, including parole, in September 2012, according to Tennessee state records. He was required to register as a sex offender, and his most recently registered address was in Medford, N.Y., according to the Tennessee State Police sex offender registry. Chicago police say he lives in 4200 block of Bloomingdale Road in Kingsport, Tenn.
jmeisner@tribune.com
Woman's text helps thwart Lakeview restaurant robbery
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Woman's text helps thwart Lakeview restaurant robbery
