NEW YORK ARRESTS MADE IN COMPUTER THEFT CASE The Ithaca Journal - www.theithacajournal.com - Ithaca, NY

Three indicted in pair of January robberies on Giles Street
By Raymond Drumsta
Journal Staff

ITHACA — Three people have been indicted in connection with gunpoint robberies and a burglary in late January.

Nathan A. Smith, 18; Elijah M. Sobus, 20; and Heather Bauer, 34, are charged with four counts of second-degree robbery in connection with two robberies Jan. 22 on Giles Street.

The three are also charged with third-degree burglary, a Class D felony, fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree conspiracy, both Class E felonies, for the theft of a laptop computer and docking station worth about $2,400 from the Cornell University offices at the Hilton Garden Inn the same day, court papers said.

The indictment was handed up Tuesday. A fourth person thought to be involved was not indicted, possibly because the person is a youthful offender.

According to the indictment, the robberies occurred almost 24 hours apart. In the first incident, Smith and the fourth individual approached a man on Giles Street at about 1 a.m., pointed a silver semi-automatic pistol at him, ordered him to get on his knees and demanded his wallet, which contained $65.

The pair fled with the money to a light-colored PT Cruiser driven by Sobus and rented by Bauer, the indictment states.

At about 11 that night, Smith and the fourth individual brandished what appeared to be dark semi-automatic pistols at a man on Giles Street, ordered the man to his knees and took an envelope with $385 and a cell phone from him.

The pair “laughed and shot orange plastic pellets” at the victim as they walked away, according to the indictment, but the victim chased the pair until they got into the back seat of the PT Cruiser and fled.

“Defendant Sobus was in the driver's seat and defendant Bauer was seated in the front passenger seat,” the indictment reads.

According to court documents, a witness saw Smith leave the Hilton Garden Inn with a backpack at about 7:30 p.m., and the computer equipment was found in his possession the next day, the documents said. Though Smith was charged with burglary and criminal possession of stolen property in the computer theft, the indictment said the three acted in concert to commit the crime.

Smith and Bauer are being held in Tompkins County Jail on $10,000 and $7,500 bail, respectively. Sobus was released to the supervision of the Tompkins County Probation Department.