Serial dry cleaner robbery suspect faces hearing

A man charged with armed robbery at two Royal Oak dry cleaners is a suspect in six other robberies or attempted robberies at dry cleaners in five other cities.

Kenneth E. Person, 55, of Detroit is jailed on $500,000 cash bond for the two incidents in Royal Oak earlier this month.

Person was arraigned in Royal Oak last week and is scheduled for a probable cause conference at 9:30 a.m. Friday before Royal Oak 44th District Judge Derek Meinecke.

Police said Person implied he had gun when he robbed the Martinizing Dry Cleaner, 1015 S. Main Street, on April 1, and attempted to rob Sylvia’s Dry Cleaners, 1407 E. 11 Mile Road, four days later.

Armed robbery is punishable by up to life in prison. Person is also suspected of robbing or attempting to rob dry cleaners in Wyandotte, Southgate, Lincoln Park, Livonia and Southfield.

Royal Oak police worked with police from three other cities and Person was arrested in Lincoln Park on April 6.

Royal Oak police Sgt. Timothy Brown said Person acknowledged he was involved in the robberies in Royal Oak.

Person told police he has a crack cocaine drug habit, Brown said.

In the Royal Oak robberies, the suspect is accused of implying he had a gun beneath a piece of dark cloth or clothing draped over his hand and forearm. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken in the holdup at the Martinizing dry cleaner.

A clerk at Sylvia’s Dry Cleaner refused to give up any money. Instead, she ran from the counter to a back room and called 911, police said.

Person’s criminal record includes convictions for narcotics possession, larceny, stalking, several armed robberies, and receiving and concealing stolen property, police said.