LAYTON, Utah, April 25, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — Layton Police received several calls Monday night from witnesses describing an escalating situation in the parking lot of Gold’s Gym at Fort Lane and Gentile Street.
Layton Police Sgt. Clint Bobrowski said the initial call, at 6:19 p.m., reported an altercation between two men in the parking lot. Subsequent callers reported that one of the men was unarmed and one had a knife — and then that a third man was on scene with a gun.
Bobrowski said the unarmed victim, about 20 years old, had been working out at Gold’s Gym. When he went back to his locker, he discovered that several of his personal items had been stolen, including his cell phone and wallet containing his driver license and credit cards.
While the victim was at the front desk reporting the theft, he noticed a man outside carrying the stolen items. So he went outside and confronted him.
Bobrowski said that’s when the suspect, identified as Dylan Simmons, 21, pulled out a 4-inch knife “to intimidate the victim.” Simmons then fled.
Bobrowski said the victim followed Simmons, getting close enough to kick Simmons’ feet out from under him, causing him to fall.
A man who witnessed these events — and who has a concealed carry permit — got his handgun out and made sure everyone behaved until the police arrived.
Witnesses had seen Simmons handing some of the items to a woman identified as his girlfriend, so she also was taken into custody and questioned.
Simmons at first claimed that he had been assaulted by the victim, Bobrowski said, but later admitted that he had bruised himself after being taken into custody in an attempt to make it look like he’d been assaulted.
Police determined that his girlfriend was unaware that the items had been stolen, so she was released, as was the man with the concealed carry permit.
Simmons was booked into Davis County Jail and faces a charge of aggravated robbery.
Bobrowski said this type of theft is common because people don’t want to spend money on a lock or they forget to bring one. He said thieves often look for car keys in gym lockers so they can go into the parking lot, hit the lock button to find the car, and then steal everything in it that has any value.
