Masked Augusta Township teen accused of attempting to rob store; threatening to detonate bomb
A 17-year-old Augusta Township boy accused of attempting to rob a store and threatening to detonate what he said was a bomb has been arrested, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The boy is accused of attempting to rob the store — in the 2000 block of Washtenaw Avenue, east of Golfside Drive, in Ypsilanti Township Monday — wearing a blond wig and dark mask. When a store employee approached him and asked if he could help him, the boy allegedly “gave the store employee a list of merchandise" and opened his coat, revealing what appeared to be an improvised explosive device, according to the release.
The boy threatened to detonate the bomb if the employee would not give him the listed merchandise, and the employee yelled to his boss to call the police, according to the release.
The boy then said he was just joking, bought some inexpensive merchandise and left the store, according to the release.
Responding sheriff's department deputies noticed a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle description enter a Burger King parking lot, 4800 block of Washtenaw Ave. in Pittsfield Township. Deputies verified the vehicle was in fact the wanted vehicle as it stopped behind the Burger King, according to the release.
Deputies approached the vehicle and took the driver into custody, the release said. Deputies found a potential improvised explosive device in the boy's coat pocket and what the release said was incriminating evidence inside the vehicle.
The Michigan State Police bomb squad responded and determined the device was inert, according to the release.
The 17-year-old was taken to the Washtenaw County Jail. The case will be turned over to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office for review of possible criminal charges, the release said.
Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.
Comments
scott
Fri, Mar 11, 2011 : 12:17 a.m.
@poopingrainbows i can't believe you know someone this stupied, he should be prosecuted and book on charges and be put away for at least 10-15. People this stupied should not be able to walk the streets.
SalineMachine
Thu, Mar 10, 2011 : 2:15 a.m.
@ Rainbows. I am listening.. to you telling me that you know first hand that this guy needs treatment. "I can understand why he would think its acceptable." Strapping a make believe bomb to oneself and going out in public is not acceptable no matter what one thinks or believes. Maybe he isn't dangerous and maybe it was all just a prank, but you are certainly right that whatever he was doing he went about doing it in the WRONG way.
pooping rainbows
Thu, Mar 10, 2011 : 12:50 a.m.
listen SalineMachine, reporters usually get the story wrong. I personally know this person and this is not what happened. He's not a dangerous person. It was something innocent that went wrong. It was all a misunderstanding. He obviously went about it the wrong way. Any sane person wouldn't have gone about it that way. But knowing this person, I can understand why he would think its acceptable. I'm not excusing what he did but I really wish that people would get things right. The playing cards weren't what he was going for. He actually bought those.
SalineMachine
Wed, Mar 9, 2011 : 7:42 p.m.
I spoke with a Fox 2 reporter who was on the scene, and was told the suspect was robbing the Fun 4 All Comic Book store for some playing cards. This store is located in the Secretary of State plaza.
RJA
Wed, Mar 9, 2011 : 4:31 a.m.
Review of possible criminal charges?? This is a sick JOKE!
Grimey
Wed, Mar 9, 2011 : 1:03 a.m.
Is that "according to the release"?
zip the cat
Tue, Mar 8, 2011 : 11:11 p.m.
Another plea bargin comming down the pike?
Jimmy McNulty
Tue, Mar 8, 2011 : 9:52 p.m.
Sooooo.....man walks in to store with demand list of goods alleging he will detonate the bomb strapped to him. Clerk yells for his boss to call the police. The suspect buys some inexpensive merchandise AFTER this all went down? Why would the clerk even sell something to him if the cops were called? Maybe to keep him there? Bizarre................