Cops: Man Broke Into Six Boca Raton Stores, Captured By Police While Fleeing

Robert Lewis, 56, of North Lauderdale. (Credit: Palm Beach County Jail)

A man burglarized as many as six stores on a Boca Raton street early Saturday morning, with police being called to the scene after one business owner was alerted to an intruder remotely via his camera system.

Boca Raton Police received a report of a burglary in progress on the 100 block of NW 20th Street at about 5 a.m. Saturday morning. The owner of the store received an alert from their surveillance system, which showed the burglar in the store, prompting them to call police, a department spokesman said.

While responding, an officer noticed a man riding a bicycle westbound from the business, wearing a white tank top, dark pants and gloves, matching the suspect’s description provided by the caller. Officers then made contact with the individual, who was observed to be bleeding from his torso. When officers went to detain the man, he attempted to flee and was arrested after a brief foot pursuit.

According to a statement issued by police, further investigation revealed that the man, identified as 56-year-old Robert Lewis, of North Lauderdale, was the individual observed on video allegedly burglarizing the store. Officers later determined that other businesses in the area were burglarized via smashed windows between approximately 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. the same morning. Police allege that surveillance video from the businesses showed that Lewis had broken into a total of six stores, using bricks and even a pole to smash through the glass. The videos, according to police, also show Lewis stealing from cash registers at the businesses, along with some cigarettes. Approximately $800 in cash was taken, police would determine.

Lewis, who was already on probation for burglary, has been charged with six counts of burglary to an unoccupied business, possession of burglary tools, resisting without violence, trespassing and violation of probation.

Lewis was lodged in the Palm County County Jail.