Lawrence man arrested on suspicion of armed robbery at Kwik Shop, crime spree

A Lawrence police officer Tuesday morning after a car stop in west Lawrence arrested a 23-year-old Lawrence man who was the suspect in a July armed robbery at Kwik Shop, 845 Miss., and several other incidents earlier this year.

Police took Cordero Pewe Riley into custody without incident after a stop at 9:35 a.m. Tuesday near Bob Billings Parkway and Kasold Drive, police spokeswoman Kim Murphree said.

According to jail records, Riley was arrested on a warrant after prosecutors had charged him with aggravated robbery in connection with the 3:30 a.m. incident July 21 in which a suspect pointed a gun at the 23-year-old female clerk. Riley was also arrested Tuesday on several outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court and a separate theft and criminal use of a financial card case.

He was being held on $35,000 bond in the robbery case and expected to appear in Douglas County District Court Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

Police had been looking for a suspect in connection with the armed robbery and asked for the public’s help in identifying him through surveillance photos.

The suspect entered the Kwik Shop, approached the clerk and demanded money from the cash register. The suspect displayed a handgun, obtained an undisclosed amount of cash and left the store, heading north on Mississippi Street. No injuries were reported.

But according to police on Tuesday, the July 21 robbery wasn’t the first time Riley was accused of stealing from the same Kwik Shop. He’s also charged with using a stolen credit card on July 2 — three weeks earlier — to buy lottery tickets, cigarettes, cigars and a phone card.

And Riley was also arrested on warrants for failing to show up to Lawrence Municipal Court in these pending cases:

• A battery and indecent exposure case in which he’s accused of striking a 31-year-old Tonganoxie woman in the face on May 4 inside Dollar General, 1811 W. Sixth St. Riley was also accused of entering the store with his pants around his ankles and later walking along Sixth Street with his pants down.

• Stealing a BB gun on Jan. 13 from Walmart, 3300 Iowa.