‘BK Bandit’ sentenced to 20 years for armed robbery

Online Staff Report

Shane Lones, 27, referred to by some as “The BK Bandit,” plead guilty Sept. 22 to three counts of armed robbery and was sentenced to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by Judge Rosemary Collins.

Jan. 3-6, 2011, the defendant committed at least five armed robberies including three at various Burger Kings in Rockford and Loves Park.

Jan. 3, the defendant robbed the Burger King at 2434 11th St. in Rockford, while armed with a butterfly knife, stealing money from the Burger King.

Jan. 4, the defendant robbed the Road Ranger at 5330 E. State St. in Rockford, while armed with a butterfly knife, stealing cigarettes and cash.

Also on Jan. 4, the defendant robbed the Walgreens at 3803 Auburn St. in Rockford, while armed with a knife, stealing money from the Walgreens.

Jan. 5, the defendant robbed the Burger King at Riverside and Alpine in Loves Park, while armed with a butterfly knife, stealing cash from that Burger King.

Jan. 6, the defendant robbed the Burger King at 3343 S. Alpine in Rockford, while armed with a knife, stealing money from that Burger King.

Jan. 7, the defendant was arrested and interviewed by Rockford City Police Department detectives. The defendant admitted he came to Rockford from where he lives in Wisconsin on Christmas day 2010, and stayed with random people to use crack cocaine. The defendant admitted that when he ran out of money to buy crack, he decided to commit the armed robberies.

Armed robbery is a class X felony punishable by a mandatory term of imprisonment of between six to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections with three years mandatory supervised release.