By: Victoria Mitchell | Royal Oak Review | Published July 15, 2015



CLAWSON — At press time, police were still looking for the suspect wanted in the armed robbery of a fireworks tent shortly before the Fourth of July.

Lt. Scott Sarvello said the Clawson Police Department has not received any leads in connection with the July 2 robbery of a USA Fireworks operating out of a tent in the Clawson Sales Center parking lot at the corner of West 14 Mile and North Crooks roads.

Officers were dispatched to the location shortly after 10 p.m., when the cashier called 911 and stated that the suspect showed a semi-automatic handgun and stole cash from the day’s sales.



According to the police report, while the employee was counting the cash, the suspect, wearing a black hoodie over his head, came into the tent, presented the gun and said, “Give me all the cash.”

The employee told police he put all the money in a grocery bag that the suspect brought with him.

The employee said the robber then ran out of the tent.

Sarvello said the cashier waited a few moments before going out of the tent, because he was afraid the suspect would be waiting to shoot him if he looked. After a few seconds, the man said, he heard a car driving away, so he left the tent to see what was happening.

The cashier told police he saw a smaller, black SUV, like the size of a Ford Escape, head westbound through the parking lot by Play It Again Sports, then continue to Crooks Road.

The cashier said he believed the robber had a driver waiting, because the cashier never heard the vehicle shift into drive.

Sarvello said officers checked nearby businesses, but no one had seen the vehicle. Police also checked the cashier’s car and found no signs of foul play.

The suspect was described as an unshaven black male with a dark complexion who stood about 6 feet tall and weighed about 185 pounds. The suspect was wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans.

Anyone with information regarding the robbery is asked to call Sarvello at (248) 655-4454.

Busy holiday for police

The Police Department was busy on July 4, going on 30 calls. Close to half of the calls were firecracker or firework calls. The department, on average, receives less than half of that number each day.

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