James A. Dyke knew the police were onto him. That’s why, after four months of subpoenas and search warrants, he turned himself into Bloomington Police on Thursday for three counts of armed robbery.
The 19-year-old IU student was found by police when he used a Visa gift card. But Dyke had no way of knowing it would lead police back to him in December when he tried using the card at a CVS shortly after invading a home on the east side of town.
When Dyke and another male entered an apartment December 10, 2014, on Bloomington’s east side, they were reportedly wearing ski masks and holding semi-automatic handguns, according to a police report.
The three residents inside the apartment were, at gunpoint, told to “get on their knees” and “take out all of their money,” according to the December report. When the only cash they could present was Chinese currency, Dyke and his partner held a trash bag and demanded all of their personal items. These included the cash, three pairs of Air Jordan shoes, credit cards, an iPhone, a Canon camera and a $100 Visa gift card.
The Bloomington Police Department filed a subpoena with the Visa company, requesting any information relating to the stolen gift card.
Two hours after the robbery at 9:35 p.m., Dyke activated the Visa gift card and attempted to use it at a CVS, according to information provided by the subpoena. The next day, Dyke’s girlfriend used the card at the Indiana Memorial Union Bookstore, where she works, Capt. Joe Qualters said.
According to detectives, the Canon camera had been sold at a pawn shop December 12, 2014, in Indianapolis, two days after the robbery.
Finally, after studying Dyke’s cellphone activity, detectives found that his phone had been used on Bloomington’s east side on the evening of the robbery.
At this point, detectives had enough evidence to send off a probable cause affidavit request for Dyke’s arrest.
“He knew they were looking for him,” Qualters said Thursday, about 30 minutes after Dyke came to the department to turn himself in.
According to Qualters, Dyke said he asked his girlfriend to purchase IMU Bookstore items with the gift card because he wanted to utilize her employee discount to buy Christmas presents for his family.
Dyke faces three to 20 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines, Qualters said.
Hannah Alani
