Robberies include Orion Twp., Lake Orion Walgreens

By Jim Newell

Review Editor

A suspected serial armed robber, whose crime spree included robbing two Walgreens stores in the Orion area, has been arrested and is facing multiple charges.

Marcel Marquaveon Hinkle is accused of robbing nine businesses between Jan. 19 and Jan. 31, targeting Walgreens and CVS stores in Oakland and Genesee counties.

FBI Oakland County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force team members took Hinkle into custody without incident on Feb. 4, Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard’s office said in a news release about the crimes and arrest.

Hinkle, a 27-year-old resident of the City of Flint, previously was convicted of Felony Armed Robbery and Felony Concealed Weapons charges. He was released from the Michigan Department of Corrections on Nov. 4, 2020 and was on parole at the time of his arrest, authorities stated.

“I am extremely proud of the team effort of all the agencies involved to bring this clearly dangerous serial armed robber to justice,” said Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard. “Hopefully, this time, he will stay behind bars and not threaten the public again.”

Hinkle’s crime spree reportedly began at approximately 7:39 p.m. Jan. 19 when deputies were dispatched to Walgreens Pharmacy, 3520 S. Baldwin Rd., in Orion Township for the report of an armed robbery.

The suspect was described as a male wearing a black hoodie with a white emblem on the front, black pants, black shoes and a light blue surgical type mask.

The suspect demanded the clerk open the register and presented his right arm with what appeared to be a handgun. He then stated several times he would shoot to the clerk. He grabbed the money from the drawer and left the location, police said.

On Jan. 20, at approximately 2:02 p.m., the Lake Orion Police Department were called to the Walgreens Pharmacy at 450 North Park Street in the Village of Lake Orion for a report of an armed robbery.

The suspect was wearing clothing identical to the clothing worn in the Walgreens robbery in Orion Township the day prior.

On Feb. 6, Hinkle was arraigned in 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills by Judge Michael Bosnic.

Hinkle now faces multiple counts of armed robbery, a count of unarmed robbery and a felony weapons firearm charge:

• For allegedly robbing the Walgreens in Orion Township, Hinkle faces one count of armed robbery and one count of Weapons/Felony Firearm, Second Offense.

• For allegedly robbing the Walgreens in the Village of Lake Orion, one count armed robbery.

• He also faces one count of armed robbery for allegedly robbing a Walgreens in the City of Rochester Hills; and one count of unarmed robbery at a Rite Aid in the City of Auburn Hills.

Bond was denied and Hinkle is being detained by the Michigan Department of Corrections detainer.

Additional charges are expected on the other armed robberies. Hinkle’s next court date was scheduled for Feb. 16 at the 52-3 District Court.

Hinkle is also accused of robbing several other locations:

• At 1:50 p.m. Jan. 22, CVS Pharmacy, 31010 John R Road in the City of Madison Heights. Armed robbery. The suspect allegedly demanded money from a clerk and manager, stating several times, “Don’t make me shoot you.”

Hinkle reportedly pointed to his pocket and implied he had a gun many times. He left the store with the drawer of money and was seen by a store employee getting into a dirty black Chevrolet sedan, believed to be a Malibu.

• At 2:32 p.m. Jan. 22, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Walgreens, 2985 Crooks Rd., in the City of Rochester Hills for the report of an armed robbery.

At approximately 2:29 p.m., the suspect was seen wearing a green camouflage patterned jacket, blue mask, black pants and one white glove entered the store.

He approached the counter and told the clerk, “This is a robbery and as long as you follow protocol everything would be alright.”

He left with the money from the register. Detectives recovered surveillance footage of a dirty dark colored Chevrolet Malibu.

• On Jan. 23, at approximately 5:50 p.m., the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office went to Walgreens at 7110 Dixie Highway in Independence Township for an attempted robbery earlier in the day.

At approximately 3:56 p.m., the suspect entered the store wearing a black hoodie with a white emblem on the front, dark pants, dark shoes, and a light blue colored surgical mask.

The clothing description was the same as the other Walgreens robberies which occurred in Orion Township and the Village of Lake Orion.

The suspect approached the cashier and “demanded she give him all the money and implied he would shoot the clerk if she did not comply. He had his hand covered and pointed his arm at the victim in a threatening mannerm,” the police report stated.

• Also on Jan. 23, at approximately 4:57 p.m., the Village of Holly Police Department went to the CVS Pharmacy at 4031 Grange Hall Rd. for an armed robbery involving the suspect, who was wearing a black hoodie with a white emblem on the front, dark pants, dark shoes, a light blue surgical mask, and white gloves.

The description matched several prior Walgreens robberies, including Orion Township, the Village of Lake Orion and Independence Township.

The suspect fled the store and was witnessed leaving in a dirty, black mid-2000s Chevrolet Malibu.

• At 8:21 p.m. on Jan. 23, the Fenton Police Department in Genesee County were dispatched to Walgreens, 3270 West Silver Lake Rd., for an attempted armed robbery which had just occurred.

The suspect was wearing a red jacket with a black shirt, blue hooded sweatshirt, black winter hat, black saggy jeans, black face mask with a design on the mouth, and white gloves. The jacket had a white design on the right rear shoulder.

He reportedly fled the store and in a dark colored sedan.

• On Jan. 31, at approximately 3:28 p.m., the Troy Police Department went to CVS Pharmacy, 1980 East Big Beaver in the City of Troy, for an armed robbery involving a suspect wearing a dark colored jacket or hooded sweatshirt with a white emblem on the front, dark colored or black pants with rips in the front, gray striped boxer shorts, a disposable face mask, and dark colored or black shoes.

The suspect was seen on surveillance footage leaving in a dark colored sedan.

• On Jan. 31, at 4:16 p.m., the Auburn Hills police were called to the Rite Aid at 2480 Lapeer Rd., for an attempted armed robbery involving a suspect, who was seen on surveillance footage wearing blue jeans, black shirt, disposable face mask, black coat or hooded sweatshirt with an unknown white emblem on the front, dark colored jeans, dark shoes, and work gloves.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Village of Lake Orion Police Department, Madison Heights Police Department, Village of Holly Police Department, Fenton Police Department, Troy Police Department, Auburn Hills Police Department, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory and Computer Crimes Units, Michigan Department of Corrections and the FBI Oakland County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force all collaborated on the investigation.