Clearlake >> A man who allegedly robbed a store at gunpoint wearing a memorable multi-colored mask over his face on Feb. 7 is now police custody.
Clearlake police arrested Charles Leon Sells, 51 of Kelseyville, after a high-risk car stop involving detective support led to evidence associated with the suspect.
Sells is on Post Release Community Supervision out of the Redding area of California.
Detectives began following up on leads which took them to Clearlake and Kelseyville. At about 6 p.m. on Feb. 8 an anonymous person called the CPD to report that Sells was at a residence in the 14800 block of Saroni Parkway in Clearlake. Officers quickly surrounded the home and located Sells inside, Sgt. Rodd Joseph said.
The robbery occurred in the early afternoon of Feb. 7. Officers responded to a report of an armed robbery which had just occurred at Cheaper Cigarettes located at 14962 Lakeshore Drive, Joseph said in a statement released Friday afternoon. Officers arrived and determined the lone male suspect had entered the business via the unlocked rear door.
The suspect, described as a white man wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and a multi-colored mask over his face, allegedly pointed a handgun at the employee inside the business and demanded money. The employee complied with the suspect’s demands and the suspect fled the business with an undisclosed amount of currency. The store employee, though scared, was not injured in the robbery.
During a check of the area, officers located a single glove on the ground of a vacant residence near the scene of the robbery. Neighbors had asked police to check this vacant property as nefarious persons are often seen trespassing here, Joseph said. This single glove matched gloves the suspect was reportedly seen wearing at the time of the robbery.
Officers collected this glove for later DNA analysis through the California Department of Justice.
A few hours later, neighbors who were trying to re-secure the entrance gate to this vacant property, called police to report seeing something suspicious under a shed on the shed. It was in the same general area where officers had earlier located the single glove.
Officers returned to the vacant property and seized included a replica firearm, a significant amount of cash, a mask, a grey hooded sweatshirt and the other matching glove, Joseph said. All items found seemed to match what was either used or taken during the robbery. Officers coordinated with neighbors to watch for any suspicious persons and vehicles at this vacant property, as it was expected that the robbery suspect would likely return to claim the stolen loot and evidence.
On the afternoon of Feb. 8, neighbors called police to report suspicious persons on the vacant property. Officers responded only to find the suspicious persons had fled in a vehicle. Officers began checking the area for a similar vehicle. About 15 minutes later, detective Ryan Peterson spotted a similar vehicle at Flyer gas station (15010 Lakeshore Drive).
Sells was taken into custody without incident and made incriminating statements to police. Sells was later booked into the Lake County jail on one count of robbery.
Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact detective Elvis Cook. He can be reached at 994-8251 ext 315.
