Knife-Wielding, Masked Robber Who Haunted Victims Arrested: Cops

VACAVILLE, CA — Vacaville police arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of committing at least five robberies while armed with a long kitchen knife and wearing all black, from mask to toe. "A bit of peace settled into the city" after an observant officer spotted Robert Matthew Cordell Manson walking at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 1000 block of Allison Drive and placed him under arrest.

Police said when contacted, Manson was carrying a grocery bag containing gloves, a large kitchen knife and other items connected to the robberies at local convenience stores.

Investigators believe he is the masked, armed robber who plagued stores, mini-marts and gas stations, terrorized their employees and escaped with cash over the past month.

On some occasions, the robber committed more than one robbery a night and even robbed the same store days apart, police said.

"After marauding the mini-marts, he would disappear into the shadows of the night but not before striking fear into the eyes of the employees he encountered," police said, posting photos of the knife-wielding suspect on their Facebook page.

"Believed to be responsible for at least five robberies, the sight of him clutching a large kitchen knife tightly in his hand was a visual that may never be forgotten."

Manson was arraigned Friday in Solano County Superior Court. He is being held under $35,000 bail in the Solano County Jail and his next court date is March 22.

"We are happy to have reached a peaceful resolution in this case and hope this brings some closure to those affected by the uninvited terror injected into their lives," police said.

Police still ask that anyone with additional information pertaining to the investigation call Detective Yetter at 707-469-4846.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.