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It’s true, you can’t be thrown in prison for 10 years for robbing a cash advance loans store. However, the situation is different if you have already served time for robbery before. A man who robbed a payday loan store in Minnesota at gun point has been sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by six years of extended supervision.

There are a few other extenuating circumstances that contributed to the lengthy sentence given to Raymundo Gallegos. He has been in prison for armed robbery before, and the judge said Gallegos didn’t show remorse for this crime. Furthermore, his charge comes with the added detail that he used “threat of force.” Two employees at the payday loan store says he threatened to shoot them in the head if they didn’t give him cash.

Details on the robbery

The robbery occurred June 16, and despite the months that have gone by, one employee is still on medical leave because she is too afraid to go to work. The manager of the cash advance loan store, called Check Mate Cash Advance Center, said he wasn’t scared, but he was angry.

After Gallegos pulled out a handgun at the payday loan store in LaCrosse county, the manager says, “”I had to stare down the barrel of that gun for two to three minutes. I have to live with the fact that, had that gun gone off, I might not be standing here today.”

A special case

Perhaps the judge was trying to make somewhat of  an example of Gallegos. The judge during the sentencing said “What you did cannot be excused in any way, shape or form.” Payday loan store robberies have become more and more common lately as criminals have figured out that the stores must keep large amounts of cash on hand in order to do business.

Unfortunately, most payday loan store robberies do not end with the robber getting 10 years in prison. Usually, the last thing heard about a payday loan store robbery is that “police are seeking a suspect.” Last week, several reports flooded in about payday loan store robberies, including incidents in Oklahoma, Kansas and Indiana. In most cases, the culprits have not been found. However, payday loan stores every day are increasing security measures, and police are starting to crack down in many areas.

Surveillance cameras are a good investment for payday loan stores.

The payday loan police have been pretty busy lately, tracking down and locking up men who are suspected of robbing multiple businesses, including several payday loan stores.

The first payday loan store robbery story I have for you comes out of Indiana, where a man is accused of robbing a shocking number of payday loan stores.

From NWI.com:

Police said they have arrested a man suspected of robbing 16 payday loan stores in Illinois and Indiana during the past four months.

Lewis Gilbert III, 45, of Schererville, was taken into custody Monday at his girlfriend’s Hammond home, but he wasn’t immediately jailed because he fell ill during questioning and was hospitalized. He was charged Tuesday with one count of robbery and he faces additional charges.

According to police, Gilbert robbed five stores in Indiana — including stores in Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties — and 11 in Illinois. Valparaiso police Detective Dan Koepke estimated about $30,000 was taken during the robbery spree.

What took you so long?

Sheesh, this guy robbed 16 stores before police caught him? There must be some kind of issue up there in Indiana. Perhaps the payday loan stores need to beef up their security. And it wouldn’t hurt for the police to be a tad more diligent, methinks.

But wait, that’s not all! I have more payday loan store robbery mayhem for you. This next story takes place in Wichita, Kansas.

From the Wichita Eagle:

Wichita police have issued an arrest warrant for a second man linked to a series of robberies this summer.

Police say Lloyd Preston Adams, 36, is a suspect in recent robberies of at least two cash advance businesses — including the Loan Smart at 1716 E. Central on July 28.

…

A 31-year-old man was arrested Friday morning in connection with the case, police have said.

Investigators say the two men may be responsible for the robberies of six payday loan businesses, one restaurant and four motels between April 19 and July 28.

Serious serials

So these guys didn’t allegedly rob 16 different places like Gilbert, but they still have gotten away with quite a bit, if they are, in fact, the perpetrators.

Well, those two stories have a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, in that at least one person has been caught in both cases. Police investigating a recent payday loan store robbery in Arizona haven’t been so lucky yet.

From ABC15.com:

Authorities say police are investigating an armed robbery at a Tempe payday loan store on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Tempe Police spokesman Scott Smith, two armed men walked into Cool Cash, near McClintock Drive and Guadalupe Road, about 2 p.m., where they demanded cash from a clerk.

They were described as Hispanic males, 5 feet 6 inches tall and 155 pounds, wearing dark shirts.

It was unclear how much money the suspects took during the robbery.

Smith said no one was hurt.