Accused armed robber in clown mask arrested in Riverside – The Press-Enterprise

A suspect in a clown mask enters a Circle K store in the 1600 block of Main Street in Riverside on Aug. 26. (Courtesy of Riverside Police Department)

A man who wore a clown mask in two of the three convenience store armed robberies he committed in Riverside was arrested this week, authorities said.

Two of the robberies occurred at the Circle K convenience store in the 1600 block of Main Street in the Northside neighborhood on Aug. 26 and Sept. 2, while the third occurred at a 7-Eleven store in the 1100 block of West La Cadena Drive on Sept. 7, Riverside police spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback said.

The two Circle K robberies both happened during the early morning hours, the spokesman said.

A surveillance photo from the Aug. 26 robbery showed the suspect wearing a white clown mask with the hood of an Adidas sweatshirt over the top and the suspect’s right hand in his waistband as if reaching for a handgun.

Another photo from the Sept. 7 7-Eleven robbery showed a man walking outside wearing a different black Adidas hoodie and no mask.

Riverside police identified the robbery suspect as Jesse James Swanson, 23, of Riverside, Railsback said. Swanson was taken into custody Wednesday on suspicion of armed robbery, weapons violations and possession of stolen property. He was being held on $100,000 bail.

In November, police arrested a 56-year-old Riverside man on suspicion of being the getaway driver in all three robberies, Railsback said. He was booked into jail on suspicion of conspiracy, weapons violation and robbery, but inmate records show he was released Wednesday, the same day as Swanson’s arrest.

Detectives found a firearm during the getaway driver’s arrest, Railsback said.