Police: Man confesses to robbing string of fast food restaurants
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LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- An admitted drug addict who was arrested after robbing a sandwich shop in Lakewood Sunday evening has confessed to being the robber who hit a total of 30 stores across Pierce County over the past two months, Lakewood police said.
Officers nabbed Joshua Nitschke when they caught a break by guessing correctly where the robber might strike next, said Lt. Chris Lawler with Lakewood police.
Detectives were out in plainclothes Sunday night, staking out local Subway shops and pizza parlors that have typically been the robber's target.
Around 7 p.m., detectives watched as Nitchske walked into the Subway restaurant at 10518 South Tacoma Way, allegedly rob the place, and then walk out. When the man got into his car to leave, detectives were waiting for him, Lawler said. They boxed his car in and made the arrest.
"(We were) kind of trying to play the odds, hoping that we'd be in the right place at the right time, and we got lucky (Sunday night)," Lawler said.
Police also arrested the man's girlfriend, Cassandra Koepke, who was waiting for him in the alleged getaway car. Both were booked into the Pierce County Jail Monday morning for investigation of first degree robbery and attempted robbery.
Lawler said the weapon used in all the robberies was recovered and it turned out to be a toy gun.
Nitschke cooperated with detectives and confessed to a total of 30 robberies at pizza parlors, sandwich shops, and gas stations in Pierce County, saying he needed to support his drug habit. The robberies spanned Parkland, Puyallup, Tacoma, Lakewood and Spanaway, starting on Oct. 12. Police say Nitchske would sometimes hit multiple stores in the same night.
Nitschke and Koepke are scheduled to make their first court appearance on Tuesday.
Officers nabbed Joshua Nitschke when they caught a break by guessing correctly where the robber might strike next, said Lt. Chris Lawler with Lakewood police.
Detectives were out in plainclothes Sunday night, staking out local Subway shops and pizza parlors that have typically been the robber's target.
Around 7 p.m., detectives watched as Nitchske walked into the Subway restaurant at 10518 South Tacoma Way, allegedly rob the place, and then walk out. When the man got into his car to leave, detectives were waiting for him, Lawler said. They boxed his car in and made the arrest.
"(We were) kind of trying to play the odds, hoping that we'd be in the right place at the right time, and we got lucky (Sunday night)," Lawler said.
Police also arrested the man's girlfriend, Cassandra Koepke, who was waiting for him in the alleged getaway car. Both were booked into the Pierce County Jail Monday morning for investigation of first degree robbery and attempted robbery.
Lawler said the weapon used in all the robberies was recovered and it turned out to be a toy gun.
Nitschke cooperated with detectives and confessed to a total of 30 robberies at pizza parlors, sandwich shops, and gas stations in Pierce County, saying he needed to support his drug habit. The robberies spanned Parkland, Puyallup, Tacoma, Lakewood and Spanaway, starting on Oct. 12. Police say Nitchske would sometimes hit multiple stores in the same night.
Nitschke and Koepke are scheduled to make their first court appearance on Tuesday.
