SPARTA, Ill. – The Randollph County Sheriff’s Office reports an arrest in connection with an alleged armed robbery at a Sparta restaurant.
According to a news release, on Tuesday, March 5, 2025 at approximately 12:24 p.m. the Sparta Police Department received a 911 cell call that a subject had just attempted to commit an armed robbery at Lollie’s Restaurant located at 1775 N Market St in Sparta.
The victims were employees with Accel Entertainment who maintain the gambling machines at the location. The victims were able to give responding officers a description of the suspect being an older white male wearing a black jacket with hood up and blue jeans. The caller described how the suspect had a green cloth over his hand and stated put your hands up or he would shoot.
The location of these events was in the parking lot of Lollie’s where the suspect had confronted one of the employees of Accel Entertainment at their work van. The victims stated that once confronted by the second employee the suspect took off on foot running towards the Briarwood Hotel. Officers quickly responded to that area, set up a perimeter and began to search for the suspect.
The Sparta Police Department’s K-9 Luna and a drone were used in the search of the area to ensure that the suspect was not still on foot in the surrounding neighborhoods. While officers and deputies of the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office were conducting the search, other officers and deputies began collecting surveillance video from businesses in the area. They were able to track the suspects movements and determine that he had left the scene in a Ford F150 from the Melmar Apartments parking lot area.
Officers then were able to track the suspect’s vehicle movements and were able to get his license plate from surveillance videos on N. Market Street. At this time the Sparta Police Department identified the suspect as 66-year-old William D. Lawless of Sparta. The suspect’s vehicle was then located at his residence in Sparta. Officers and deputies then began surveillance on the Lawless residence. A short time later he was seen walking out of the residence into his garage. At this time, he was taken into custody. A search warrant of Lawless’ property was later obtained and executed to collect further evidence.
Lawless is charged with one count of armed robbery and was transported to the Randolph County Jail.
All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Sparta Police Department would like to thank the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and local businesses for their assistance in this case.