AUBURN — A Lewiston man who police believe held up two Burger King restaurants in the Twin Cities a week ago used the money to buy illegal drugs, court records show.
Todd Johnson, 31, of 18 Sabattus St. said he used a chrome and black BB-gun when he robbed the restaurant at 704 Main St. in Lewiston on May 13, according to a police officer’s affidavit.
Johnson is addicted to cocaine and prescription drugs, he told police during an interview after he was picked up during a routine traffic stop and charged on outstanding warrants.
According to the affidavit, Johnson said a friend drove him to a spot near the restaurant in a borrowed pickup. The two hid in trees and bushes and watched the drive-through window of the restaurant. Johnson then walked between a car that was waiting for its order and the ordering window, he said. He leaned into the window with the gun in his left hand. He ordered the worker staffing the window to “back up.” When he did, Johnson reached in through the window and grabbed roughly $500 from the cash drawer.
He fled in the direction of the back of the building and into the waiting pickup truck that was parked on a nearby street. He bought crack cocaine and OxyContin with the stolen money.
Workers at Burger King gave police differing versions of the incident.
The cashier, who later picked Johnson out of a photo lineup, told police that Johnson ordered him to open the cash drawer then take 10 steps backward. He did as Johnson said.
Another worker turned a corner to see Johnson, who said: “What the f— are you looking at?”
Acting on a tip, police put out an all-points bulletin for a car belonging to a woman with whom Johnson was believed to be traveling. An Auburn police officer stopped the car Monday and found the gun in the trunk.
Police believe Johnson also held up a Burger King restaurant on Center Street in Auburn a day after the Lewiston holdup.
He was jailed on the outstanding warrants. As of Friday, he remained at Androscoggin County Jail in lieu of $6,000 cash bail.
cwilliams@sunjournal.com
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