A Monroe County man and parole absconder accused of robbing a Frenchtown Township sporting goods store last week now is in custody, officials said Thursday.
Ray Edward Vanlandingham, 55, was arrested in the township Thursday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies located Vanlandingham in the area of Telegraph and Buhl roads in Frenchtown Township with the help of Michigan State Police and the state Department of Corrections and took him into custody, they said. He was taken to the Monroe County Jail to await charges.
Officials said the robbery happened at about 6:15 p.m. July 5, 2023, at the Dunham’s Sports store at 2149 North Telegraph Road between Stewart and Lasalle roads.
According to a preliminary investigation, the suspect entered the store, approached a clerk and asked for an item. As the clerk rang the person up, the register opened and the suspect produced a firearm. The suspect then took an undisclosed amount of cash from the register and fled, police said. He was last seen running south.
Deputies were called and a canine unit attempted to track the suspect but was unable to locate him, officials said.
Vanlandingham absconded from parole in April, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. The agency also said he has previous convictions for bringing contraband into a prison, armed robbery and using a firearm during a felony going back to the 1990s.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez
