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Surveillance photo of the Hesperia Wesco robbery.
Serial robber hits Hesperia Wesco.
#OceanaCountyCrime
By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.
HESPERIA — The Hesperia Wesco store at 196 S. Division St. was robbed early Friday morning, according to Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast, and detectives from three counties are working together to catch the armed suspect.
Surveillance photo of the New Era Wesco robbery.
The Hesperia robbery is the third to occur in recent days with surveillance photos of a suspect who appears to be the same young white male, short in stature wearing what appears to be the same distinctive black and white hoodie.
The first robbery occurred July 10 at the J&H Family Store in Muskegon County’s Twin Lake. Then, the second robbery occurred Wednesday, July 19, at the New Era Wesco in Oceana County. Today’s third robbery took place in the Newaygo County portion of Hesperia, so the investigation is being handled by the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office. Mast did not immediately have information whether the suspect fled on foot like he did in the previous two robberies. However, the robbery occurred at approximately the same time of day as the Oceana robbery, which was about 2:30 a.m.
Surveillance photo of the New Era Wesco robbery.
In the Muskegon County case, the gunman is left-handed in the photos, and in the Oceana County and Newaygo cases, he is holding the gun in his right hand. It may be an attempt to throw off investigators, Mast said.
“It appears to be a series of robberies,” the sheriff said. “This guy is really taking a big chance. He’s really stretching his luck. Hopefully, something unfortunate doesn’t come from this. A man waving around a gun does not end up with good results.”
The suspect stole approximately $1,000 from the New Era Wesco, he said.
The sheriff said he visited the Walkerville Quick Mart recently to have a safety meeting with staff in an effort to prevent another Oceana County robbery.
More information will be provided when it’s available.
If anyone has information, call the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office at 231-873-2121.
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