South Bend Police Department Press Release

_______________
SBPD reports the arrest of a suspect who has been linked to at least four (4) local Robberies.

Police arrested Brandon Lohse, Male age 31, of Plymouth, Indiana, in connection with four robberies that had been committed in the city. They include:

Robbery to an 82 year old female resulting in her injury at the Wallgreens, 1351 N. Ironwood Dr., on 10-07-07;
Robbery to a 53 year old male outside of the Kitchenette Restaurant, 2221 S. Michigan St., on 10-06-07;
Robbery to a 44 year old male outside of Jovi's Lounge, 1907 S. Miami St., on 10-06-07;
Robbery to a 39 year old male outside of the Kitchenette Restaurant, 2221 S. Michigan St., on 10-03-07.

Lohse was booked into the St. Joseph County Jail under charges of: Robbery, Class B Felony and three (3) counts of Robbery, Class C Felony. Investigators have forwarded the cases to the Prosecutors Office. The names of additional co-conspirators have also been sent with the case for possible additional charges on other individuals. Investigators are looking into the possibility of this suspect being involved in other criminal activity in and around the City. Anyone with additional information on Lohse or his criminal activity is asked to call the SBPD Investigative Division at 574.235.9263 or Crime Stoppers at 574.288.STOP

Lohse was originally arrested on 10-11-07 in the 900 block of 35th street as he and two other men were stopped by patrol officers. At that time, he was taken into custody due to outstanding arrest warrants and Driving While Suspended. Inside the vehicle (a Blue 1991 Chevy Astro Van) at the time was a stolen license plate that was reportedly used on the getaway car involved in the robbery to the 82 year old woman at the Wallgreens Store on 10-07-07.

Crime Analysis personnel and Investigative Division detectives were tracking the robberies in which similar suspect descriptions and vehicles (including the above van) were used. When the patrol officers seized the stolen getaway car plate and the above van, investigators were able to pinpoint their suspects.

This is an example of all of the elements of the police department coming together to solve a string of serial robberies, and take a dangerous offender off of the streets.