Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Man Accused of Loyola Robbery Tried to Escape Jail: Prosecutors

By Emily Morris | December 15, 2013 4:53pm
 Rodrick Moore, left inset, and Martell Howze, right, are accused of robbing a Loyola University dining hall.
Rodrick Moore, left inset, and Martell Howze, right, are accused of robbing a Loyola University dining hall.
View Full Caption
Chicago Police Department

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — One of the men accused of robbing a Loyola University cafeteria in Rogers Park early Friday after planning the heist for months attacked police and tried to escape from lockup later that night, prosecutors said.

Martell Howze, 25, who worked at the Rogers Park dining hall, was charged in the robbery along with Rodrick Moore, 31, according to police and prosecutors.

The robbery happened at the university's Damen Student Center, at 6511 N. Sheridan Road, according to campus security.

During the course of two months, Howze and Moore hatched a plot to rob the cafeteria, prosecutors said. Howze taught Moore the layout of the dining hall, how to get past a security door and where to find the safe, according to prosecutors.

They planned to rob the university dining hall once it was closed and when Howze could make sure only one victim was there, Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Dibler said.

About 2:20 a.m. Friday, Moore went inside with a BB gun and forced a dining hall manager, who had been leaving work, to open the safe and empty money into a bag. Moore also stole the woman's phone and keys, according to prosecutors.

Howze was in the dining hall at the time of the heist and had followed Moore into the room where the safe was, according to prosecutors.

Moore and Howze made off with about $2,811 from the safe, according to prosecutors.

But the victim called authorities and told them what happened, and a cop soon spotted one of the men at the Loyola Red Line station, according to prosecutors. The officer saw him throw the phone, keys and BB gun and drop his backpack, according to prosecutors. The gun was a replica, according to court documents.

The victim identified Moore as one of the robbers, according to prosecutors.

During the investigation, authorities found out that Howze helped Moore rob the cafeteria, according to an arrest report. According to prosecutors, Moore and Howze both admitted their roles in the incident, and surveillance video from the dining hall and the CTA captured some of what happened.

Moore, of the 6100 block of South Michigan Avenue, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery, one count of armed aggravated kidnapping and an additional count of aggravated kidnapping. He appeared in court Saturday and was ordered held on $150,000 bail.

Howze, of the 200 block of East 89th Place, was initially charged with two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of armed aggravated kidnapping.

Howze appeared in court Sunday with more charges: two counts of aggravated battery causing bodily harm to an officer and attempted escape.

While Howze was in custody about 11:15 p.m. Friday, a Chicago police detention officer noticed Howze had a hoodie with a drawstring inside his cell, which posed a security risk, Dibler said.

When the officer went inside the cell to take the drawstring away, Howze punched him in the head and ran out of the cell, Dibler said.

Howze encountered another detention officer, and he punched and kicked both officers, Dibler said. He also bit the hand of the first officer, according to Dibler.

Both officers sustained various injuries in the struggle, Dibler said.

Judge Laura Sullivan ordered Howze held in lieu of $325,000 bail.

Loyola University Chicago officials could not immediately be reached for comment.