Man sentenced to 16 years for 2011 burglary of downtown Roly Poly sandwich shop

Online Staff Report

Verez Watts, 51, was sentenced by Judge Rosemary Collins to 16 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of burglary. The defendant pled guilty to the offense May 21.

Aug. 1, 2011, Rockford police were dispatched to Roly Poly at 308 W. State St. in reference to a burglary. The owner reported when he arrived to work he noticed the tip cup and a money bag containing $150 were missing. The surveillance video reflected that a black male in his 40s about 6 feet tall and 250 pounds with a mustache, entered the shop by crawling under the security cage and took the tip cup and money bag.

The owner of Roly Poly contacted the Rockford police again Aug. 6, 2011, when he saw the suspect, and officers were able to identify the suspect as Watts.

When detectives met with Watts, he admitted to lifting the security cage and entering Roly Poly. He also admitted to taking the money bag from under the cash register.

Burglary is a class 2 felony with a sentencing range of three to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. However, because of Watts’ prior criminal history, class X sentencing applies, which carries a sentencing range of six to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Posted July 12, 2012