One Held In Armed Robbery

Police arrested a Florida man less than 20 minutes after he allegedly robbed the Cripplegate Cafe in Oswego Friday night.

Gary Lee Clingenpeel, 36, of Lakeland, Fla., was booked into Kosciusko County Jail Friday night and charged with armed robbery. No bond was set.

Police were alerted to a robbery at the cafe on Armstrong Road at 7:49 p.m. after a customer who spent several hours in the cafe allegedly returned with a buck knife and demanded money, said Det. Sgt. Tom Brindle, of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.

Witnesses were able to provide police with a description of Clingenpeel and the car he fled in.

Police were told Clingenpeel and his girlfriend were in the cafe for several hours before asking another customer for a ride home. The customer left and returned a short while later to pick up the couple. After getting into the vehicle, police believe Clingenpeel ran back into the cafe supposedly to buy beer but instead brandished the knife and demanded money.

Police don't believe the woman or the driver were aware Clingenpeel committed a robbery until after the incident.

Witnesses told police the three were headed to Suburban Acres where Clingenpeel lives.

"The car was pulling in as the officers got there," Brindle said.

Clingenpeel recently moved to the area from Lakeland and had recently served time for robbery, Brindle said.