Local police have apprehended a Woodburn man for a series of convenience store robberies involving what appeared to be explosive devices strapped to his chest, officials reported. Nicolas Contreras-Salmion, 33, is facing multiple charges after being linked to two robberies in the Woodburn area, which caused significant alarm due to his use of hoax "bomb" vests. According to KOIN, Contreras-Salmion has been charged with two counts of second-degree robbery, three counts of possession of a hoax device, and one count of second-degree attempted robbery.

The suspect's apprehension came after a series of events that began with a robbery on January 19 at Crossroad Grocery & Deli, followed by another incident last Friday at EZ-Stop Grocery and Deli. In both incidents, the suspect wore a makeshift bomb vest to intimidate store employees. The police later found the abandoned hoax devices near Johnson Street and Bryan Street and in the 200 block of Harrison Street, both of which were later confirmed as fakes by the bomb squad. As reported by KATU, the Woodburn Police Department is seeking additional information on these cases and urges anyone with knowledge to come forward.

Contreras-Salmion is presently being held at the Marion County Jail. The police have stated that a thorough investigation followed the robberies, leading to the suspect's arrest. “Investigators recovered a vest used in the Crossroads Grocery & Deli robbery several days after the first incident near Johnson Street and Bryan Street, and on Thursday, they recovered a second vest in the 200 block of Harrison Street," KPTV reported. Both items were deemed to be non-explosive by the authorities.