The Turlock Police Department has arrested a suspect believed to be behind a series of robberies at two Turlock convenience stores.

The suspect was identified as Isaac Harp, 19, of Turlock. Harp is accused of robbing the AM/PM stores located in the 100 block of E. Monte Vista Avenue and the 4700 block of N. Golden State Boulevard on multiple occasions from July to September.

The first robbery happened at 1 a.m. July 24 in the 100 block of E. Monte Vista Avenue. The clerk told officers the suspect came in with a gun in one hand and a hammer in the other. He demanded the cash from the register and the clerk complied. As the suspect ran out, he dropped the bag of money, picked it back up and then jumped over the wall that was behind the store.

Over the course of the robberies, the suspect would change his weapons, alternating from a revolver, a hammer, a stun gun and a pistol.

In the early hours of Sunday, a Turlock Police officer was patrolling in the 4700 block of N. Golden State Boulevard looking for any suspicious activity due to his knowledge of the recent robberies that had been occurring at the business, said police department spokesperson Deandra Wiley.

“In the most recent robbery that had occurred just a week prior, the officer knew that the suspect had fled on foot into a nearby orchard northeast of the business,” Wiley said.

As the officer drove his patrol vehicle through the parking lot of the business, he turned east on Taylor Road towards the orchard and located a suspicious vehicle parked on the side of the road.

The vehicle’s hood was still warm, indicating that it had just recently been parked.

A witness informed the officer that a man had just ran from near the AM/PM into the orchard.

The officer requested additional units to set a perimeter to search for the suspect and requested the assistance of a K9 from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department to assist with tracking the suspect’s scent through the orchard.

The suspect was not located but the vehicle, which was registered to Harp, was towed as evidence.

Later on Sunday morning, two detectives working the case interviewed family members of Harp seeking information on his whereabouts. A few hours later, Harp came to the Turlock Police Department to speak with detectives and was ultimately arrested for three counts of robbery and was booked into the Stanislaus County Jail.

Anyone with any information on these robberies is encouraged to contact Detective Kevin Blanc at (209) 668-6540.