Shawnee Masked Armed Robber Arrested

The masked man wanted in several armed robberies of convenience stores in Shawnee is in custody Friday.

Shawnee Police Detective Jason Crouch said News9 viewers helped police identify the robber seen in surveillance video pointing a handgun at a store clerk.

In surveillance video, the suspect is hiding his face with a bandanna and wearing a Mizzou Tigers stocking cap.

Detective Crouch said the masked robber has been identified as Michael Lynn Ballard, 18. An arrest warrant was issued in Pottawatomie County on Tuesday.

5/2/2014 Related Story: Shawnee Convenient Store Clerks Held At Gunpoint

Police considered him armed and dangerous. In several of the robberies, Ballard is suspected of pointing his gun at store clerks and demanding cash from the store register

Sonny Baker, Flash Stop Convenience Store Clerk, recounted his brush with death following a robbery in May,"the guy said give me all the money and the hundreds too," Baker vividly remembers.

Turns out, Ballard took his criminal activities to Oklahoma County. According to Oklahoma County Jail records, Ballard was arrested by Oklahoma City Police last week in a similar incident.

5/13/2014 Related Story: Shawnee Police Search For Suspect Involved In 2 Store Robberies

Records show Ballard is being held on complaints of robbery with a firearm, possession of an offensive weapon during a felony, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Oklahoma City.

Shawnee Police are still investigating Ballard.