Aunt to receive reward in newspaper machine thefts

By Tom Blakey

June 17, 2008 12:32 am

— A Norman man is serving two years in prison, and his aunt will be $500 richer, following the man's conviction April 17 in McClain County District Court.
Michael Delaney Robinson, 44, pleaded guilty April 17 to second-degree burglary and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Robinson was charged with breaking into newspaper vending machines owned by The Norman Transcript and two other papers.
The thefts occurred several years ago. A woman discovered four stolen vending machines after she'd leased a house near Riverwind Casino to Robinson, her nephew. Robinson reportedly trashed the house, wouldn't pay rent, and was evicted.
When the woman visited the house, she found a Transcript vending machine on the back porch, covered by a blanket. A search of a storage trailer on the property produced three more newspaper vending machines. Two other machines were found about a half mile from the house, officials said.
Charges were filed and a warrant was issued for Robinson's arrest. Investigators alleged Robinson fled to Indiana to escape prosecution. Robinson later was arrested by Dibble police on a traffic violation after returning to the area, according to a sheriff's deputy.
"Burglary of a vending machine is not the type of thing one would normally send someone to prison for," but Robinson had prior felony convictions, said Assistant District Attorney Richard Stephens.
The Transcript's circulation department offered a $500 reward when the newspaper machines disappeared. Transcript officials plan to pay $500 to Robinson's aunt.
Tom Blakey 366-3540 tblakey@normantranscript.com