A Louisville man is facing kidnapping and robbery charges after police say he forced a woman to drive him to an ATM using what turned out to be a fake gun.
Alexander Luckenbill, 32, was arrested Sunday, Aug. 16, and now faces first-degree robbery and kidnapping charges, according to Louisville Metro Police. He was already out on bond at the time, tied to separate theft and burglary cases filed in July.
What happened
Police say Luckenbill approached a woman sitting in her vehicle near the 7200 block of Rainbow Drive around midday. He reportedly reached into the car with what looked like a handgun and demanded cash. When the woman said she didn’t have any, he allegedly got into the backseat and told her to drive him to a Circle K on Dixie Highway to withdraw money from an ATM.
Once there, the woman went inside and called 911. A second person who had been in the car told officers Luckenbill kept the weapon close to him throughout the ordeal.
When the woman came back and told him police were on the way, Luckenbill ran off on foot. Officers located him nearby, barefoot. A search of his belongings revealed the “gun” was actually a lighter shaped like a torch, wrapped in tape to look like a firearm.
Prior charges pending
Court records show Luckenbill also has an arraignment scheduled for Aug. 31 on two felony theft charges from a July 22 shoplifting spree along Dixie Highway. Police say he was accused of stealing nearly $930 worth of merchandise from a Meijer store, then hitting a nearby Home Depot about 25 minutes later, making off with a bag of saw blades worth over $660.
Officers stopped him shortly after in his vehicle, where they found merchandise from both stores. Luckenbill reportedly admitted to the thefts, telling police he intended to resell the items.
He remains in custody at Louisville Metro Department of Corrections.