Palm Springs man accused of threatening employee and officer with wooden stick in robbery

A 48-year-old man was arrested today and accused of threatening an employee at a business, and later a police officer, with a large wooden stick after first attempting to rob merchandise from the business.

The man, a Palm Springs resident, allegedly took some merchandise from the business without paying on Tuesday morning, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.

Police said an employee asked the man to return the merchandise and that he allegedly threatened the employee with a large wooden stick, after which the employee went back into the business and contacted police.

Officers responded to the 500 block of North Palm Canyon Drive to the report of a robbery at around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday. They were able to locate the man through the city's surveillance footage, police said. When officers came in contact with the man, he allegedly threatened an officer with the wooden stick, according to police.  

Police said officers then chased the man on foot until he eventually surrendered and was taken into custody.

The man was booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio on suspicion of robbery, terrorist threats, brandishing a weapon and obstructing an officer.