Late summer crime in Harbor Country has police asking for help in tracking several incidents in Union Pier and Harbert at two separate businesses, including an armed confrontation at The Whistle Stop Store in Union Pier.
Chikaming Township Police Chief Todd Taylor, Sr. says that he and Officer Micah Carlson were called out to The Whistle Stop next door to the Red Arrow Road House just before 8am back on Friday morning, August 23rd, when an armed man held up the store clerk behind the cash register, demanding money from the till.
The gunman pointed his weapon at the clerk, who handed him cash from the register before he left the store, climbed into a car and left the scene.
Chief Taylor provided these descriptions:
- Race: White Male
- Wearing: Black bottom jaw mask with a white type of weave, black hoodie, camouflage pants, black gloves
- Eyebrow Hair Color: Described as dark color
- Eye Color: Described as black in color
- Height: 5’8″ to 5′ 11″
- Weight: Described as very thin
The subject got into a vehicle, which is described as:
- Make: Chrysler 300
- Year: Described as a 2008-2010-year model
- Color: Described as Navy or Dark Blue
- Plate: Unknown State
- Additional Identifiers: None described
The Chief says, “This investigation is ongoing and additional information will be provided at a later time. We are asking the public for help in identifying this subject. Anyone with any information concerning the above described person or vehicle involved in (Friday’s) robbery is encouraged to call the Chikaming Township Police Department at (269) 469-3245.”
Early yesterday, Sunday, August 25th, the crew at Milda’s Corner Market in Harbert posted to their Facebook page that they had been robbed as well, saying, “We were robbed last night. We will be open for regular business. If anyone saw anyone suspicious in front of our building, please contact the police.”
Chief Taylor characterized the crime at Milda’s as a burglary, inasmuch as it happened overnight while the business was closed, unlike the incident at The Whistle Stop in Union Pier.
Today, Taylor updated the citizens of Harbor Country with a Facebook message of his own which says:
“Good morning. The armed robbery (at Whistle Stop) is being aggressively investigated by our staff. We are currently working with another law enforcement agency on this case. We will update you once we have additional information…information we can release that will not jeopardize the criminal case. Please be patient with us.
Concerning the burglaries of unoccupied homes in the Harbert area, we are actively investigating those as well. Please understand investigations take time. Despite what people see on television, real world police work takes a great deal of time to put the pieces of the puzzle together to solve criminal cases. Cases are not solved within an hour. We will update you once we have additional information…information we can release that will not jeopardize the criminal case. Please be patient with us.
Concerning the burglary at Milda’s in Union Pier, that burglary too is being aggressively investigated. We will update you once we have additional information…information we can release that will not jeopardize the criminal case. Please be patient with us.
There’s no evidence currently to link Milda’s burglary with the burglaries in Harbert.
Please rest assured your department is working very hard to solve these crimes and we are making progress on solving these cases. Additionally, our department has a plan in place for additional patrol staff working each shift; therefore, you will see an increase in police officers in our area.”
Milda’s Corner Market is barely 6-tenths of a mile south of The Whistle Stop, and both are located on Red Arrow Highway in the Harbor Country neighborhood along Lake Michigan in Berrien County. Earlier this summer, Milda’s market was also seriously damaged when a car rammed through the front of the shop’s dining room in July.
