Bend Albertsons robbery suspect caught in minutes

A citizen standing outside the Albertsons on Bend’s north side spotted and followed a robbery suspect Wednesday evening, helping lead to his capture by police just minutes later, officers said.

Police responded to the Northeast Third Street supermarket around 6:45 p.m. on the reported robbery, said Sgt. Mike Landolt.

The robber demanded money from a cashier at a checkout stand, making threatening statements as he did so, Landolt said. The employee gave him an undisclosed amount of cash and the robber ran from the business.

As police began searching for the suspect, a citizen who was standing outside the store saw what was going on and followed the suspect as he headed east on Revere Avenue, then south on Fifth Street, Landolt said. The citizen told police he last saw the suspect heading south on Fifth Street before losing sight of him.

Just after 7 p.m., officers checking the area found a man near Fifth Street and Quimby Avenue who matched the description of the suspect and his clothing, the sergeant said.

Marcus Thornsberry, 45, was arrested and officers seized evidence, including the cash believed to have been stolen at Albertsons.

Thornsberry was taken to the Deschutes County Jail and lodged on third-degree robbery and second-degree theft charges. His initial bail was set at $12,500.

Last week, Thornsberry was cited on a heroin possession charge in Redmond as part of a drug investigation that led to a raid on a home and charges against 10 people.