Tracking A Man Accused Of Robbing A Number Of Tulsa Businesses

Tuesday, January 2nd 2007, 2:57 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police have a trail of evidence that includes thousands of stolen dollars soaked in red dye, the clothes the bank robber wore during the heist and even the gun that was taken away from the bank security guard.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright say Tulsa Police don't know if Omni Walton has skipped town of if he's in hiding somewhere. They say he may also be nursing a broken bone, they think he might've gotten when he jumped out of the third floor window of his apartment last Friday. That happened during a standoff.

Tulsa Police say surveillance pictures from last Friday's bank robbery, shows two suspects robbing the Bank of Oklahoma at 1604 North Lewis. A citizen saw it on the news, recognized the man with the white scarf and called Crimestoppers.

The citizen said the robber was Omni Walton, a man police knew well. They've been investigating him since last May for robbing a string of restaurants. His MO wasn't violent or aggressive; in fact, he doesn't fit the mold of your typical armed robber.

Tulsa Police Sgt. Dave Walker: "this guy, if there's a likeable robber, it's this individual. People say he's pleasant and nice in public and doesn't dress the part. He's well dressed, well mannered and well kept."

Police staked out Walton's apartment after getting the Crimestoppers tip. While there, they arrested Walton's girlfriend, Katelyn Davis, driving Walton's car. They say the car was a jackpot of evidence, including the clothes Walton wore during the bank robbery, the pellet gun used and more. "The bag he brought to the bank robbery that the money was put in with the dye pack. Obviously, the dye pack exploded, leaving a hole in the bag and staining the money, so we recovered $2,500 in red stained money."

Someone also found a stained $20 bill not far from the bank robbery scene.

Records show Walton's girlfriend was a gold mine of information as well, confessing to being Walton's getaway driver at four robberies. A man inside Walton's apartment had yet another piece of the puzzle, the gun that was taken away from the bank's security guard. "Mr. Walton gave it to him to be sold at a gun show because Mr. Walton and his girlfriend, Miss Davis were going to leave town."

Police don't have any proof Walton actually left town, but don't have any proof he's still in Tulsa.

They say the evidence from the bank robbery is very strong and they believe Walton's also robbed a Subway, four Waffle Houses, three Braums, two Burger Kings, a Taco Bueno and some motels.

If he's still around, police would like a tip, they say while he's been likeable, if he were cornered; he could be a very different person.