A Knoxville man with a lengthy criminal record has admitted to committing eight recent robberies in the downtown area, according to the Knoxville Police Department.
Xavier L. Townes, 25, is well known to police. In fact, while they were investigating a robbery at a downtown parking garage, crime analyst Christine Mullan remembered Townes and recommended police look specifically at Townes.
A victim of a downtown robbery picked Townes' picture out from a lineup of possible perpetrators.
Townes admitted in an interview with police he'd committed eight "open robberies" that have taken place recently in the downtown area, according to Knoxville Police Department. At the time, he was already being held in jail for an assault and a theft charge.
Records show robberies have been on the uptick in recent months downtown.
Townes is now charged in the aggravated robbery about 7 a.m. Oct. 17 of a man at Clinch Avenue near Walnut Street. According to records, Townes asked for a dollar but the victim didn't have one.
The man walked away and Townes followed. He "put his hand in his pocket and threatened to cut the victim if he did not give him his wallet," the charge states.
He knocked the man to the ground and got on top of him, according to the charge.
"As the victim was attempting to fight off the defendant, the defendant stuck his hand in his pocket as if he had a gun, and told the victim he was going to shoot him," the charge states.
Townes took the man's wallet and fled, the charge states.
He's also charged with assaulting an employee Oct. 24 at the Broadway Kroger after trying to steal almost $100 in steaks.
Records show he also faces prosecution for trespassing and having drug paraphernalia - a crack pipe - in September while at the Walmart at University Commons Way off Cumberland Avenue. Police caught him stealing about $44 in merchandise including beer.
Other past charges against Townes include stealing more than $250 in cash Aug. 30, 2016, from the Weigel's on Summit Hill Drive near Hall of Fame Drive, and robbing a man of $20 and his phone on Sept. 1, 2016, in Fort Sanders.