Iowa City man faces charges for several robberies

An Iowa City man arrested Thursday night confessed to robbing several businesses throughout Eastern Iowa, according to Iowa City police.

Jay M. Harkless, 23, was arrested after Rent-a-Center, 1214 S. Gilbert St., was robbed at about 5:30 p.m.

During a search of Harkless' residence at 840 Maggard St. Apt. 10, officers found items they believed linked him to 10 bank and credit union robberies in Iowa City, North Liberty, Cedar Falls, Waterloo and Muscatine. Harkless confessed to all 11 of the robberies, police said.

Harkless has been charged in Iowa City with second-degree robbery for the Rent-a-Center incident and for robberies last year at West Bank, 1910 Lower Muscatine Rd., and Midwest One Bank, 1906 Keokuk St., according to police.

The Cedar Falls Police Department said Harkless would be charged with five counts of second-degree robbery for incidents there in 2008 and 2009. Charges for the other alleged robberies are expected in the near future, and federal charges are possible, said Iowa City Police Sgt. Denise Brotherton.

Police departments in the five cities where the robberies occurred have been working with the FBI and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Cedar Falls police said Harkless lived there in 2008 and early 2009. The University of Iowa directory lists Harkless as a student.

Brotherton said it's believed Harkless acted alone.

Following the Rent-a-Center robbery, but before it was reported, Iowa City police officer Gabe Cook recalled seeing a suspicious vehicle leaving the area and wrote down the license plate. This led officers to Harkless' residence. He consented to a search, according to a news release, and officers found money consistent in denomination with what was stolen, and narcotics.

Harkless was arrested for possession of marijuana and brought to the police station, where an interviewer got him to confess to the other robberies, Brotherton said.

“It's good old-fashioned police work,” she said.

Harkless was in Johnson County Jail Friday on a $155,000 cash-only bond.

The robberies outside Iowa City are:

• Midwest One Bank - 465 Hwy 965 NE, North Liberty

• Lincoln Savings Bank - 301 Washington St., Cedar Falls

• Community National Bank - 312 W. First St., Cedar Falls

• Iowa Community Credit Union - 3301 Cedar Heights Dr., Cedar Falls

• Wells Fargo - 6309 University Ave., Cedar Falls

• Veridian Credit Union - 6301 University Ave., Cedar Falls

• Veridian Credit Union - 1616 Lafayette St., Waterloo

• Central State Bank - 2400 Second Ave., Muscatine.

The Gazette's John McGlothlen contributed to this report.