A late-night robbery at the Jimmy John’s on Sashabaw Road in Independence Township left staff shaken but unharmed today after an armed suspect forced his way inside, threatened two employees with a handgun, and took off with their purses. Deputies flooded the area with K1 and drone teams, but the gunman slipped away. Investigators said no one was physically injured during the ordeal.
Deputies were dispatched to the shop at 5601 Sashabaw Road at about 10:44 p.m., after the suspect shattered the glass on the rear door to get in, then ordered employees to place their purses on the counter while demanding access to the safe, according to The Oakland Press. The sheriff’s office said K1 and drone units joined the search, but the suspect was not found. Investigators are asking nearby residents and drivers for any surveillance or dash-cam footage, along with tips that might help identify the person responsible.
Sheriff Mike Bouchard urged the public to speak up, stressing in a news release that “it is important to take this violent offender off the street,” per The Oakland Press. The suspect was described as a male who wore a mask, a black hooded sweatshirt, and black shoes.
Search Tactics And What Investigators Are Looking For
Deputies brought in K1 and drone units to scour the area, but still came up empty at the scene. The county’s Drones as First Responders program has been critical in other cases for tracking armed suspects and feeding real-time intelligence to deputies, WWJ Newsradio 950 reported. Investigators emphasized that even low-quality video from home cameras or car dash-cams could provide the break they need.
How Residents Can Help
Anyone with information or footage is asked to call the Independence Township substation at 248-620-4968, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. People with time-sensitive but non-emergency information can also call the sheriff’s office non-emergency dispatch at 248-858-4950.
