FERNDALE, Wash. — Officials with the City of Ferndale said this afternoon, Tuesday, August 15th, that an earlier visible police presence in town was the result of a search for an armed robbery suspect.
According to City Clerk Susan Duncan, Ferndale Police were dispatched about 8:25am to a report of an armed robbery at a retail business in the 1800 block of Main Street. Employees told police a male suspected of stealing alcohol and tools had displayed a knife when confronted and then fled.
Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and Bellingham Police Department K-9 units and a UAE (drone) searched the surrounding area for about 2 hours. Officers located items left behind by the suspect but did not locate him.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic or Native American male, approximately 5’-8” tall, wearing a camouflage / black shirt, black pants and black sneakers. He was carrying a backpack with him at the time of the robbery and has several tattoos on his arms.
Law enforcement is clear of the area. The Ferndale Police Department does not believe the suspect to be an imminent threat to the general public at this time. Surveillance photographs / video of the suspect will be released as they become available.
Officers are continuing to investigate and have established probable cause for Robbery in the 1st Degree. Anyone with information regarding this case [Case # 23F6446] should contact Officer Foeung at 360-483-5723 or at tfoeung@ferndalepd.org City of Ferndale (August 15, 2023)