By the Daily Post staff
Palo Alto police have arrested a 23-year-old man who is accused of robbing the Cardinal Bike Shop of cash.
Police got a call at 2:43 p.m. on Friday saying a robbery was taking place at the shop at 1955 El Camino Real. Officers arrived within three minutes and detained the suspect without incident as he was just about to drive away.
Arrested was Michael Lindstrom-Spence of Healdsburg. He was booked for robbery and making criminal threats, both felonies.
Police found out from the store’s employee that the man came into the business wanting to sell a used electric bicycle. When the employee refused to buy it, the suspect reached into his backback feigned as though he had a weapon in it, verbally threatened violence, and demanded cash from the employee, police said.
Fearing for his life, the employee gave the suspect cash from the register. The suspect left the store, leaving the bicycle behind.
When police arrested Lindstrom-Spence, they didn’t find any weapon.
The employee was smart and gave him the cash. It’s not worth your life, and you never know if he really has a gun.