After all, you'd think that if you robbed a place you'd lay low for a while, or be robbing places NOT near where you live:

Clerk helps nab alleged robber 5 hours after incident
By Topher Sanders
Journal Staff

ITHACA — An Ithaca man was arrested Sunday in connection with the robbery of a gas station after the clerk he allegedly robbed saw him nearly five hours later as she drove home from work, police said.

Robert N. Hilsinger, 32, of 635 West State St. was arrested around 8 a.m. Sunday, according to Ithaca Police.
 
Hilsinger was arraigned by Judge Marjorie Olds on Sunday and is being held in Tompkins County Jail on $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond.

The robbery occurred around 3 a.m. Sunday at the Fastrac gas station at 214. N. Meadow St.
Hilsinger allegedly pushed gas station clerk Audri Langendoerfer out of the way and stole about $100 out of the cash register, police said. No weapon was used in the incident.

After Langendoerfer left work, she had a fortuitous sighting on the way home.

“She was on her way home and saw the guy in the area of Newfield riding a bike,” said Lt. Vincent Monticello of the Ithaca Police Department.

Langendoerfer, 19, said she couldn't believe it was him.

“My first thought was that I wanted to kick his teeth in,” she said. “I was excited that I had a chance to call the police and I'm definitely happy that the ordeal is over and he's in jail.”

Langendoerfer called police, who picked up Hilsinger and charged him with third-degree robbery.

Another strong arm robbery occurred on Aug. 8 in the West End when a man took money from the C&C Tobacco Outlet at 109 N. Meadow St.

In that case, police were looking for a black man, about 5-feet, 8-inches tall. He left the store on foot onto Seneca Street.

The case is still under investigation, Monticello said.


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Originally published August 21, 2006

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060821/NEWS01/608210326/1002

risking jail time in order to steal $100 shows that you're not too bright in the first place