Crime & Safety

St. Clair Shores Police Look for Witnesses to Robbery

St. Clair Shores Police are hoping diners at Wong's Garden may be able to provide additional information about a man who robbed the restaurant March 29 and are asking them to call detectives at 586-445-5305.

St. Clair Shores police are investigating the robbery of Wong's Garden restaurant in which a man stole $3 of change from a jar near the register after an employee refused to give him money despite him brandishing a gun.

Employees were not the only people present during the crime, although the robber was "low-key" in his method and may not have drawn attention to himself as a result, Detective Sgt. Jay Cohoe said.

Anyone who was eating at Wong's March 29 between 10 to 10:30 p.m. is asked to call St. Clair Shores detective bureau with information they recall about a man who entered a few minutes before closing wearing a plaid coat. Anyone with information is asked to call 586-445-5305.

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According to the initial report, a man entered Wong's a few minutes before closing time. He pulled a gun from his pocket, brandished it but did not point it at the employee and demanded money. He did threaten to shoot her, however.

The employee refused to give him anything, yelled at him that she wouldn't give him any money and then ran to the back of the restaurant and called police.

Find out what's happening in St. Clair Shoreswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The man then grabbed a jar with loose change that sits near the register and ran out the door. The jar contained about $3 worth of change.

Upon leaving the restaurant, the robber approached a cook who was outside, also demanding money. The attempt was unsuccessful because of a breakdown in the communication between the robber and the cook, Cohoe said.

The cook was able to show police where the man was last seen running, which led to a search by a K-9 officer. The track led officers to Harper Avenue just south of 10 Mile Road and then the scent stopped, according to a report.

The robber is described as a black man with a thin build and medium complexion, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9, 145 to 160 pounds with brown eyes and in his mid-20s. He was wearing a checkered or plaid coat, black pants and a black hat.


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