DNA Ties Man To 2015 Robbery At Orland Square Mall
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 24-year old man has been arrested for a mall parking lot robbery from almost two-and-a-half years ago, thanks to DNA information and a timely traffic stop.
Orland Park Police Cmdr. Tony Farrell said, when a now-38-year old woman was robbed in the Orland Square mall parking lot in 2015, she scratched the man who had reached into her car and took her blue wallet and a new phone charger she had just bought from the Apple store.
The woman was not injured, but police said she broke a fingernail.
The Illinois State Police crime lab provided DNA identification information to Orland Park police in December, and police had been trying since then to track down David Gamble, of Hazel Crest.
Orland Park police pulled Gamble over for a traffic stop at 158th and LaGrange last Thursday night, and the officer determined Gamble had been driving on a suspended license.
Farrell said the officer brought Gamble into the police station, and detectives soon figured out Gamble was the guy wanted for the robbery. Farrell said his detectives never give up.
The commander said he suspects Gamble's name never popped up before December because Gamble likely had not been arrested and been in the system before then.
Farrell said the victim was excited to learn last month that police were still working on the case and had identified a suspect. At the time of this report, however, police had not been able to contact her to tell her Gamble had been arrested.
Police said Gamble has been charged with vehicular invasion and robbery, both felonies.
A judge set Gamble's bail at $100,000. He was due back in court on Feb. 19 at the Bridgeview courthouse.
