North Hills Man Faces Hearing in Robbery of Local Coffee Shop

A longtime resident of the North Hills community faces a hearing Wednesday on charges that he robbed the on McKnight Road on Dec. 14.

detectives have charged John Hammel, 32, with felony theft, receiving stolen property and first-degree robbery in the holdup. Hammel was arraigned Dec. 15 and has been held on $100,000 in the pending his hearing in .

Police said Hammel, while driving a stolen van, pulled up to the drive-through window of the Island Bean shop and took cash from the register after threatening workers with a small tire iron. While no employees, witnesses or bystanders were injured, police said it occurred during the busy morning rush hour.

Hammel graduated from in 1997 and is a lifelong resident of the area. His lengthy criminal history dates to 1998 and includes felony convictions for theft and burglary and misdemeanor assault, alcohol and drug offenses. 

In September 1999, Hammel was convicted of felony escape from a state detention center. 

A detailed account of the Island Bean Coffee Shop robbery can be found here. 

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Check back on Wednesday for details from Hammel's preliminary court hearing.