Pawn shop armed robbery suspect now pleads guilty

Friday, September 21, 2012
Timothy V. Giles

A 38-year-old former Greencastle man, whose image was captured on videotape both before and during the March 31 armed robbery of a local pawn shop, has changed his plea to guilty.

In a plea agreement with the Putnam County Prosecutor's Office, Timothy V. Giles, listed as homeless before ending up in the Putnam County Jail, will plead guilty to armed robbery, a Class B felony.

In return, a second count of theft, a Class D felony, will be dismissed in the case.

Giles, facing those charges in connection with an armed robbery at The Pawn Store, 22 E. Washington St., was arrested by police in Ormond Beach, Fla., in a botched July shoplifting attempt.

The plea agreement calls for the defendant to serve 11 years, none suspended, in the Indiana Department of Correction. Under terms of the agreement he may not petition to have his sentence or conviction modified once imposed.

During a change of plea hearing Wednesday afternoon in Putnam Superior Court, Judge Charles "Denny" Bridges took Giles' guilty plea under advisement, pending completion of a presentence investigation.

Giles' court-appointed attorney, Scott Adams, told the judge his client hoped to be sentenced within 30 days, and the judge complied. Bridges set a sentencing hearing for Giles at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17.

"Jail seems to agree with you," Judge Bridges told the defendant. "You look a lot healthier than the last time I saw you. A lot more neatly groomed, too."

Giles has been in the Putnam County Jail since July 3 after eluding capture for three months. He was tripped up by an ill-advised scam at a Florida Walmart store.

He reportedly picked up shorts and other clothing in the men's department and attempted to return them for cash or a gift card at the store customer service counter without ever paying for the items.

After taking him into custody, Florida police ran a routine check on Giles and discovered he was wanted on a Putnam County warrant for the armed robbery.

Greencastle City Police Det. Randy Seipel said authorities were aware Giles had lived in Florida prior to coming up to Greencastle and believed he had returned to the area near Daytona after The Pawn Store robbery.

The pawn shop incident unfolded at approximately 10:23 a.m. March 31 when Giles, wearing a blue hoodie, black Monster ballcap and ski mask, reportedly entered the back door, brandishing a large kitchen knife.

He reportedly ordered the clerk, the only employee on site at the time, to the ground and had him crawl into the storeroom. Giles then ran out the back door, escaping detection in the middle of a spring Saturday morning.

He reportedly made off with a "substantial sum" of cash in a metal cash box.

Giles was identified off security video after actually visiting the establishment the day before the robbery to pawn a gold ring.

When he returned March 31, he was again caught on video.

"A few minutes before the robbery he walked by the back door and the camera captured him," Seipel told the Banner Graphic, noting that Giles seemed to stop and look up toward the camera.

Moments later a man entered the store wearing the same clothing but with his face covered. The clerk noted that it was the same man who had been in the shop the day before, saying he recognized Giles' voice and eyes.

GPD Dets. Seipel and Michael Collins, both of whom are reportedly familiar with Giles, also identified him as the perpetrator from the video.

Giles was returned to the Putnam County Jail Wednesday, pending the sentencing hearing.

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  • What a genius. I agree with the judge .. jail does seem to agree with this guy. Good place for him.

    -- Posted by Emmes on Fri, Sep 21, 2012, at 11:59 AM
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