University Police arrested 26-year-old Jonathan A. Huitt and charged him with the early-morning robbery of a Buffalo woman on her way to work Wednesday.
The woman reported Huitt demanded she turn over her purse to him while threatening her with a knife, though no weapon was displayed. Huitt then got into his off-white 2002 Cadillac Deville and fled the Bailey Avenue and Goodyear Road crime scene.
Lieutenant Joshua Sticht credits Officers Dave Hoyden and Bruce Pepi and Investigator Wayne Colton with the arrest and charge of the Alabama native with a previous criminal record. After pouring over hours of security footage, UPD was able to extract three still photographs that provided details about the make and model of the suspect's vehicle. With this evidence, police were able to make up for time lost due to the victim not having a cell phone to report the incident.
The arresting officers found the suspect and a 15-year-old girl Huitt described as "an acquaintance" sleeping in his car in Parker Lot, according to Sticht. Huitt has been charged with two felonies, including criminal possession of stolen property and robbery, as well as endangering of the welfare of a child. He was arraigned in Buffalo City Court on Friday.
The girl, whose name cannot be released, was "definitely not being held against her will" but was listed as a missing person by her Buffalo family, Sticht said. Colton has ruled out the possibility the girl was an accomplice, though the victim reported seeing her in the car during the incident. The runaway teenager is currently in the custody of Erie County Child Protective Services.
Huitt and the girl have no connection to the university but were sleeping in the car on South Campus because they were homeless and did not have a place to go. Huitt was reportedly supposed to be staying with a local relative, according to Sticht.
Huitt had been originally charged with loitering on university property while UPD linked together the evidence to charge Huitt with the robbery. Because the man also had no license, the car was towed and by policy an inventory of the vehicle could occur. Inside, authorities found a knife and some of the victim's property, including her identification and credit cards. There was no additional evidence that linked Huitt to other crimes.
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