ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI - FOX2now.com) -
The Circuit Attorney's Office issued charges against 41-year-old Alfonzo Jerome Nichols. Police say the man struck at least four times since Friday. He attacked women as they walked to their cars after shopping. Police said the 41-year-old man most recently committed a robbery on October 25, at 8:00 a.m. outside the Walgreens located at 3631 Gravois.
Nichols is currently in custody. Bond was set at $250,000 cash only.
Police believe the suspect is responsible for four incidents from October 23-25 in South St. Louis including:
"He follows them [the victims] out of businesses," said St. Louis Police Captain Jerry Leyshock. "He waits until they're distracted as they're trying to open the doors of their cars. Then he's punching or grabbing them or choking them, and trying to get into the cars with them to rob them."
"Yeah, he can get me," said shopper Sharon Walker, looking at a surveillance photo of the suspect, noting his everyman appearance in a striped golf shirt and a blue Cardinals cap. "Yes he can. I know he can."
"I looks like an everyday normal guy," added shopper, Holly Tanaka. "I wouldn't be threatened if he were walking next to me."
The surveillance pictures showed one of his victims leaving the Schnucks near Grand and Gravois Friday with the suspect following several steps behind her; the victim having no idea what was about to happen.
"He's not actually taking the purses," Leyshock said. "He's taking money out of their purses. But in two of the instances, he got into the car with the women and made them drive around the corner, which is just too dangerous. On one case he displayed a weapon. He showed a silver colored handgun. In one other case, he put something in the woman's back after he already assaulted her. She thought that was a pistol."
So, be warned, be looking, even when it seems you don't need to be; especially then.
"Oh, Lord, well I'll be watching out," Walker said. "That's scary."
"You know you put your guard down especially if you're on the phone," Tanaka said. "I'm on the phone a lot when I go to my car; which they say not to do, but I still have a bad habit of doing it."
Police say they will apply for warrants on Thursday.
Nichols is currently in custody. Bond was set at $250,000 cash only.
Police believe the suspect is responsible for four incidents from October 23-25 in South St. Louis including:
- Robbery on October 23 outside Schnucks located at 3430 South Grand
- Robbery on October 23 outside Gravois Plaza located at 3881 Gravois
- Attempted Robbery on October 23 outside Target located at 4255 Hampton
- Robbery on October 25 at 8 a.m. outside the Walgreens located at 3631 Gravois
"He follows them [the victims] out of businesses," said St. Louis Police Captain Jerry Leyshock. "He waits until they're distracted as they're trying to open the doors of their cars. Then he's punching or grabbing them or choking them, and trying to get into the cars with them to rob them."
"Yeah, he can get me," said shopper Sharon Walker, looking at a surveillance photo of the suspect, noting his everyman appearance in a striped golf shirt and a blue Cardinals cap. "Yes he can. I know he can."
"I looks like an everyday normal guy," added shopper, Holly Tanaka. "I wouldn't be threatened if he were walking next to me."
The surveillance pictures showed one of his victims leaving the Schnucks near Grand and Gravois Friday with the suspect following several steps behind her; the victim having no idea what was about to happen.
"He's not actually taking the purses," Leyshock said. "He's taking money out of their purses. But in two of the instances, he got into the car with the women and made them drive around the corner, which is just too dangerous. On one case he displayed a weapon. He showed a silver colored handgun. In one other case, he put something in the woman's back after he already assaulted her. She thought that was a pistol."
So, be warned, be looking, even when it seems you don't need to be; especially then.
"Oh, Lord, well I'll be watching out," Walker said. "That's scary."
"You know you put your guard down especially if you're on the phone," Tanaka said. "I'm on the phone a lot when I go to my car; which they say not to do, but I still have a bad habit of doing it."
Police say they will apply for warrants on Thursday.
