Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Oct. 22 at about 10 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the ACE Hardware Store on the 2700 block of Central Ave. in McKinleyville for the report of attempted robbery. 

The suspect, later identified as Michael Armas, age 49 of McKinleyville, attempted to leave the store with several power tools, and sprayed pepper spray at employees before leaving the scene in a pickup truck. Deputies responded to Armas’s McKinleyville residence, where he failed to comply with commands; an arrest warrant was then issued for Armas. 

Later on the same day around 8:30 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a residence on the 800 block of Van Wycke St., Trinidad, for the report of Armas attempting forced entry into the home through the front door. The resident reported that he had never had interactions with Armas before and didn’t know who he was. Deputies arrived on scene and took Armas into custody based on his arrest warrant and his most recent attempt to force entry into a residence.  

Armas was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for second degree robbery (PC 211). 

This case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.