FERNDALE (WWJ) - A suspect accused of carrying out several armed robberies with a pocket knife and a bicycle was arrested by police as he as allegedly scoping out a third target in Ferndale this week.
The Ferndale Police Department said 23-year-old Rayshawn Sealy of Hazel Park was stopped by officers for a bicycle violation after they suspected Sealy was "casing" a 7-Eleven store near 9 Mile Road and Hilton.
Sealy fled from police and was apprehended after a brief foot-pursuit.
Police said that Sealy matched the description of an armed robbery suspect involved in two other incidents at 7-Eleven stores in Ferndale.
The first armed robbery case occurred on Oct. 20 at a 7-Eleven store on 9 Mile Road and Pinecrest. Police said an unknown Black male came into the store and demanded money from the clerk with a folding knife. The clerk handed over around $300 in cash and the suspect fled the scene on foot.
In the second incident, a 7-Eleven off 9 Mile Road and Hilton was targeted on Nov. 1 around 6:00 a.m. Like the first robbery, the suspect came up to the counter and demanded money from the clerk. The suspect allegedly had his hand in his pocket and threatened that he had a weapon.
The clerk handed over $803 in cash while the suspect also stole the employee's phone and the store phone. The suspect then took off on foot.
"Investigations by Ferndale Police revealed that the suspect would “case” the area prior to each robbery, then flee the area on a bicycle afterward," the department said in a prepared statement. "Investigators worked with several surrounding agencies and learned that the suspect committed a series of armed robberies of 7-Eleven stores between October 18 and November 6."
Investigators said Sealy admitted that he planned to rob the 7-Eleven store on the morning he was apprehended.
Sealy was arraigned on Wednesday, Nov. 15, on two counts of armed robbery. He was given a $200,000 cash or surety bond. Sealy is due back in court on Nov. 27 at 1 p.m.