MICHIGAN CITY — A local man will be in court to face three felony counts of robbery, accused of holding up delivery drivers for food to feed his girlfriend’s family.
Julius Harris of Michigan City had his initial hearing May 6 in LaPorte Superior Court 1, where a cash only bond of $25,000 was set for the 26-year-old. He was being held in the LaPorte County Jail.
A hearing was scheduled May 19 for a judge to decide on his request for a reduction in his bail.
According to the charging information filed with the court, Harris is suspected in the robberies that happened over three days beginning April 28.
Police said he first robbed a Domino’s delivery driver outside what appeared to be abandoned home in the 100 block of Phillips Avenue on the city’s north side.
He took the food and demanded money, but the victim had no cash, police said.
The next day, Harris allegedly robbed a Gelsosomo’s Pizza delivery driver in the 600 block of East 11th Street.
A man police say was Harris was seated near a residence and stood up as the female driver approached on foot with his order.
According to police, he had a firearm equipped with a flashlight pointed at her chest while demanding food and money.
The driver placed the food on the ground then returned to her vehicle and fled as he continued with his demands, police said.
The final armed robbery occurred the next day at the same location as the previous hold-up.
A Jimmy John’s delivery driver was directed to park behind the residence before a suspect police say was Harris allegedly produced a gun and took the food along with $20 in cash.
Police said Harris also requested a ride but the driver refused and took off.
Each of the robberies happened a short distance from each other about 7 p.m. on the three consecutive days
The orders were placed with a phone with untraceable numbers, police said.
According to police, a major break in the investigation came from surveillance video showing a man resembling Harris close to two of the robbery locations soon before and after the hold-ups.
Police said investigators also learned that Harris lived nearby, where he was found hiding underneath a mattress during a search of his home on May 1.
Seized from the home was evidence linking him to the crimes, such as a gun closely resembling the one used in the robberies, along with two pizza boxes and a sandwich bag from the relevant restaurants, police said.
According to police, Harris told investigators he had been struggling financially since losing a construction job a few months ago and never intended to harm anyone.
After each robbery, Harris allegedly told police, he returned to the home he shared with his girlfriend and her family, where all of them ate the stolen food, according to police.
A public defender has been appointed to represent him in the case.
Harris could face anywhere from three to 16 years on each count if he’s convicted.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: LaPorte County man accused of ordering food deliveries to rob drivers
Reporting by Stan Maddux, Special to The Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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