By Janice Gregorson
gregor@postbulletin.com
Bail has been set at $200,000 for a 22-year-old man accused of robbing the manager of a local restaurant at gunpoint and then taking the money and heading to a casino.
Joshua Ryan Streich, no permanent address, was arraigned in Olmsted District Court Friday on first-degree aggravated robbery charges in connection with the armed robbery of the KFC restaurant at 717 12th St. S.E. on July 8.
Streich also is charged with an unrelated felony of receiving stolen property and was arraigned on those charges as well on Friday.
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Streich was arrested Wednesday at a Plainview residence where he had been staying after authorities received information from citizens identifying him as the robber.
According to the criminal complaint, the robbery occurred about 10:30 p.m. July 8. The manager of the restaurant said he was closing the store, walked out the back door to take out some trash. While there, he saw a vehicle with one person inside. He said he took the trash to the container and was walking back to the restaurant when approached by a man wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, blue ski mask and gloves. The manager said the suspect pointed a black handgun at him and told him not to move.
He said the robber demanded money, followed him into the store and into the office where he took a bank bag containing about $3,000 in cash plus checks.
On July 17, police said some citizens called saying they had information regarding the robbery. They told police Streich told them he had committed a robbery and that he had worn a ski mask. They said he showed them a wad of bills the night of July 8 and said Streich asked them to follow him to Plainview to drop off a friend's truck, then give him a ride to Treasure Island Casino.
The two said they gave Streich the ride to the casino. A couple others at the Plainview house where Streich had been staying told police they had gone to the casino with the group. One of the men told police that the day after the robbery he asked Streich about it. He said Streich told him he did not have a gun; that it was a crowbar.
Streich told police he has known people that work at the restaurant, but denied robbing it, according to the complaint.
On Friday, Judge Jodi Williamson set bail at $200,000 without conditions attached or $100,000 with conditions attached. Streich returns to court Aug. 11.
