Man accused of robbing businesses in Michigan while wearing a clown mask

(CBS DETROIT) – A Westland man is accused of robbing three Wayne County businesses while wearing a clown mask.

According to an affidavit filed by the FBI in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Michigan, the man robbed businesses in Westland and Garden City on Oct. 27, 2024.

Officials say that on October 27 around 12:46 a.m., an Intimate Ideas store on Warren Road in Westland was robbed by a white man wearing a partial skeleton mask, a black jacket and dark pants. The man pulled a firearm from his waistband, pointed it at a store employee and demanded that the store clerk hand over money from the cash register. The robber opened the cash register himself and took approximately $422 before leaving.

Later that same day, around 6:25 a.m., a man wearing a clown mask and a green jacket attempted to go to the McDonald’s restaurant on Ford Road in Westland. Armed with a gun, the man demanded money from the cash register. However, the restaurant was closed at the time and employees were unable to accommodate this. The man then grabbed the cash register in an attempt to open it as employees fled the store. The robber was unable to obtain any money and left the restaurant on foot.

Shortly after the McDonald’s robbery, police say a man wearing a clown mask entered a Shell gas station on Ford Road in Garden City and pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded money from the register. The man told the clerk, “You have 30 seconds before I start shooting.” The clerk handed over approximately $1,070, with the robber saying “thank you” before leaving the store and heading to an apartment complex.

Garden City police patrolled near the Shell gas station and found a man matching the robber’s description sitting in a vehicle outside an apartment complex. The man, identified as Brendan Bonner, was taken into custody.

Inside Bonner’s vehicle, police found a black, polymer P80, semi-automatic pistol, a clown mask and latex gloves. Bonner also had money wrapped in a rubber band in his pocket.

Police searched Bonner’s Westland home and found money, as well as clothing and a partial skeleton mask that matched what was worn during the Intimate Ideas robbery.

While searching Bonner’s home, police interviewed a person who was in the home at the time of the search. That person told police Bonner took a black and white mask, covered half of his mask, and used a gun he made by ordering parts online. Bonner then allegedly told the person that he was going to commit a robbery. When Bonner returned to the residence, he reportedly said he robbed Intimate Ideas at gunpoint.

That person said Bonner cleaned the money so his fingerprints wouldn’t be on the money. Bonner also told the person that he did not bring his phone to the robbery “because he has knowledge of cell phone towers and GPS location.”

That person also said Bonner left the house a second time wearing a clown mask and the same gun.

During an interview with police, Bonner admitted to robbing all three businesses. He was subsequently arrested.