By Allison Scarbrough. OCP Editor.
SHELBY — Police are looking for a suspect who fled the Mitt Stop gas station, formerly the Clark station, at 289 S. State St., Thursday night, Jan. 7, after attempting to rob it, said Acting Shelby Police Chief Terry Tenbrink.
The suspect is described as a white male who is approximately 5’5” tall; approximately 30 years old; with short, dark hair and a red mustache, Tenbrink said. He was wearing a black zip-up hoodie sweatshirt and blue jeans. The suspect had a blue bandana covering his face up to his nose, Tenbrink said, and his hood was up. He was also wearing plastic gloves, the acting chief said.
The man entered the store and demanded money while his hand was in his hoodie pocket as if he was holding a gun, Tenbrink said. The suspect never showed a firearm, he said.
The suspect apparently changed his mind about robbing the store. “The clerk said, ‘Don’t do this,’ and he said, ‘You’re right, I won’t,’ and he left,” Tenbrink said. The suspect did not take anything from the store, and no one was hurt.
The suspect fled the scene on foot, heading south, Tenbrink said. The Mason County K-9 unit was called to the scene to the track the suspect. “The dog followed his track for a distance but then lost the track,” Tenbrink said. “He may have gotten into a car.”
The 10:17 p.m. robbery was captured on the store’s surveillance camera, but the footage does not show enough of the suspect’s face, Tenbrink said.
Two children, who are relatives of the store clerk, were in the backroom of the store at the time of the robbery, Tenbrink said.
If anyone has any information, they are asked to contact the Shelby Police Department at 231-861-6269.
The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office and the Hart post of the Michigan State Police also assisted at the scene.