'Ridiculous' Story From Elmhurst Robbery Suspect

ELMHURST, IL – A woman was waiting in her car for her husband to arrive on the train earlier this month in downtown Elmhurst.

Then a man showed up and grabbed the 41-year-old woman's purse, police said. A struggle ensued for about 10 seconds, police said, with the man ending up taking the woman's Kate Spade wallet.

The incident was in the middle of the afternoon on Sept. 9 near Park Avenue and Adell Place.

Through a public records request, Patch obtained the police report.

Bryan C. Romolt, 30, and Tiffany M. Blanco, 23, both of Willow Springs, were charged with robbery.

Romolt had an ankle monitor, a requirement for home detention in a residential burglary case in Cook County, police said.

Romolt was found to have previous arrests for kidnapping and burglary and a conviction for armed robbery in Arizona, police said.

Blanco's license was reported as suspended because of a DUI arrest.

After the robbery, Romolt and Blanco hit a tree at Seminole and Cottage Hills avenues and then switched drivers, with Blanco taking the wheel, police said.

An officer witnessed the pair throwing the wallet outside the car, police said. They were stopped at Vallette Street and Windsor Drive in Elmhurst.

Both suspects requested lawyers. But Romolt said he wanted to give his side of the story.

By Romolt's account, he and Blanco had gone to York Furrier at 107 N. York St., which the store later confirmed. He tried to sell some of his mother's old fur coats, but the store did not want to buy most of them.

Romolt told officers that Blanco went into the driver's seat, while Romolt got out of the car to smoke marijuana, police said.

He told officers the 41-year-old woman approached him and asked to buy marijuana. He said he would sell an eighth of an ounce for $40, and the woman gave her wallet as a sign of good faith for the future purchase.

According to the report, Romolt explained that he threw the wallet out of the car because he did not think the police would believe his story.

In an interview with police, the 41-year-old woman called Romolt's story "ridiculous."

The two suspects were taken to the DuPage County Jail, but have since been released.

In addition to robbery, Romolt was also charged with failing to yield at a T-intersection, failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash and driving an uninsured vehicle.

Blanco faces charges of driving with a suspended license, disobeying a stop sign and driving an uninsured vehicle.

Romolt has a tattoo on his forehead that reads, "Tiffany."