Suspect charged in Des Plaines hotel robberies

A Chicago man suspected in a pair of armed robberies at Des Plaines hotels over the weekend was captured early Saturday morning while casing a third city hotel for a stickup, police said today.

Musanje James Ntulume, 26, of the 5000 block of North Elston Avenue, faces charges of armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, two counts of armed violence and three weapons related felonies stemming from the holdup spree that started about an hour before his arrest.

The chain of events began about 12:45 a.m. Saturday, police said, when a man matching Ntulume’s description walked into the Extended Stay America Hotel, 1201 E. Touhy Ave., pointed a handgun at the clerk and demanded money. The clerk was unable to gain access to cash and the offender fled the area, according to police.

About 30 minutes later, the same man entered the Comfort Inn, 2175 E. Touhy Ave., pointed a handgun at the clerks, jumped over the counter and threatened to shoot the clerks while demanding money, police said. He fled the area after taking an undisclosed amount of cash.

Members of the Des Plaines Police Department’s Tactical Unit, acting on a hunch that the offender may attempt another hotel robbery, established surveillance at the Hilton Garden Inn and Marriott Courtyard Hotels located in the 2900 block of River Road, near the Comfort Inn.

About 20 minutes later, tactical officers observed a suspicious person, matching the description of the offender, in the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn. Police said his actions indicated he was preparing himself to attempt to enter the hotel to commit another robbery.

The officers, dressed in plain clothes, approached the man and took him into custody without a problem. A loaded handgun, reported stolen in Indiana, and cash were recovered from the man later identified as Ntulume, police said.

Ntulume later admitted involvement in the stickups at the Extended Stay and Comfort Inn Hotels, according to police.

Bond information for Ntulume was not immediately available Monday. He’s scheduled to appear in Cook County court Oct. 28. If convicted of armed robbery, he would face a mandatory six to 30 years in prison.