Crime & Safety

2 Charged with Robbing Man at Knifepoint in Downtown Northfield

Tony Don of Northfield and Cody Glenn Wilcox of Morristown are accused of forcing a man to withdraw $300 from an ATM early on the morning of Dec. 20.

Two men have been charged in Rice County with robbing a man at knifepoint in Northfield this week.

Tony Don, 26, of Northfield and Cody Glenn Wilcox, 19, of Morristown are charged with first-degree aggravated robbery, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.

The victim called police just before 2 a.m. Dec. 20 and reported that two young men had forced him at knifepoint to withdraw $300 from an ATM in Northfield, according to the criminal complaints.

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The victim said he encountered the two men near the corner of 7th Street and Division Street, and gave one of them his headphones. The man put the headphones in a mailbox beside a building, then Don pointed a knife at the victim and demanded that he turn over his wallet and his money, according to the complaints.

After the victim handed over his cell phone, his iPod, his Minnesota driver’s license and his credit cards, Don told him, “You’re going to withdraw money. No funny business. If you try and do anything, I will cut you,” according to the complaint.

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The two men then forced the victim to walk to an ATM in the 700 block of Water Street. The victim told police that he withdrew $300 and handed it over to one of his two assailants, one of whom told him they knew who he was because they had his driver’s license, and warned him not to call police.

The victim said the two robbers walked north on Water Street after the robbery. Police followed two sets of footprints in the snow and caught the men a short time later in the 300 block of Water Street.

Wilcox told officers that he was out “jogging for exercise.” Police found $300 in Don’s pocket.

Don refused to speak to police after his arrest, but Wilcox gave the following account:

Wilcox needed $300, and he came up with what he called a “good plan.” He admitted forcing the victim to walk to the ATM and withdraw money.

Wilcox told police that he and Don threw their jackets, gloves and a bandana into the river, because they didn’t want the victim to recognize the logo on the jacket or bandana.

Police asked Wilcox what kind of weapon was used to force the victim to withdraw money, but Wilcox said he didn’t want to get Don in trouble, but later called the weapon a “legal-size knife” that “looked good and scared people.”

Wilcox said he and Don planned to split the $300 to pay for a motel room and groceries. He told police he thought that the knife, which had a 6-inch blade, had been thrown into the river, along with the clothes.

Don and Wilcox remain in the Rice County Jail. They were scheduled to make first appearances Dec. 21 in Rice County District Court.


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