DNA, gloves help cops solve robbery

Police say the person who robbed the Springdale TJ Maxx store June 3 was pretty crafty, wearing rubber gloves so no fingerprints would be left.

But it was those gloves – or rather, the DNA left in them – that resulted in Ronneil Rodgers being in court today.

Rodgers, 31, of North Avondale, was arrested Wednesday and charged with robbery. His bond was set today at $175,000.

Police said Rodgers entered the 11661 Princeton Pike store June 3 with another person, took a gym bag from the store and confronted the manager, flashing what was believed to be a gun.

The three went to the area where the store’s safe was kept and, police said, while Rodgers was wrapping the manager in duct tape, his partner was taking money and stuffing it into the gym bag.

After Rodgers and his partner left the store, police say they were picked up by a third person and driven away.

That car was later found, though, and items from the TJ Maxx robbery were found inside.

“One of the items was a rubber glove that was submitted to the coroner’s lab for examination,” court documents note.

“The examination revealed that DNA belonging to Rodgers was present in the glove.”

Police signed that affidavit Tuesday after the results from the DNA tests were returned to them. Rodgers was arrested Wednesday.

Rodgers was convicted in 2003 of trafficking in cocaine.

Many Ohio inmates are required to submit DNA evidence once they are imprisoned. Those DNA samples are kept in a database that can be used to cross-check other DNA samples.

The robbery charge against Rodgers carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison.