A 32-year-old DeKalb man, who police believe may have committed as many as 23 robberies in the DuPage County area, was arrested late Wednesday night after he allegedly held up a St. Charles restaurant.
Anthony J. Flowers was charged with six counts of armed robbery, all committed in St. Charles since Aug. 14, said St. Charles Deputy Police Chief Don Shaw.
Shaw said investigators believe Flowers robbed 23 restaurants in four counties and 17 police jurisdictions since Aug. 2. Detectives from neighboring police departments are attempting to link Flowers to the other robberies.
Flowers was arrested at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday after he allegedly robbed Brown’s Chicken & Pasta, 1910 Lincoln Highway.
According to Shaw, a man walked into the restaurant, said he had a gun and demanded money. An employee tripped a silent alarm after he recognized the man from a previous robbery at the restaurant, Shaw said. Flowers was arrested within a half mile of the Brown’s restaurant.
Wednesday’s robbery came one day after a string of five robberies which began in Lombard when a McDonald’s restaurant was hit, followed by the robbery of a pizzeria near Lombard, police said.
A Wendy’s restaurant in Oakbrook Terrace was held up about 20 minutes later, then a Taco Bell in Westmont.
Downers Grove police are investigating the robbery of a Kentucky Fried Chicken store that was hit shortly after the Westmont incident.
The robberies occurred weeks after three restaurants and convenience stores in Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn and Warrenville were held up.