Suspect Detained After Armed Robbery and Police Pursuit Linked to Wadsworth Mini Mart Incident

A man was arrested in Wadsworth after robbing a Mini Mart employee at knifepoint and leading police on a chase. Charges include kidnapping and robbery.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 7, 2026, 5:39 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from News 5 Cleveland

Early Morning Armed Robbery

The Wadsworth Police Department is investigating a violent robbery that occurred early Friday morning at the Mini Mart on College Avenue. Authorities report that the incident took place around 5:00 a.m. as an employee was preparing to open the store for the day. According to police statements, a 52 year old male suspect approached the victim from behind, brandishing a knife and demanding cash. The victim reported that the suspect held the weapon against her back while directing her to provide access to the business's safe.

Employee Forced into Cooler

After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash from the safe, the suspect took the employee’s cell phone to prevent her from calling for help. Police stated that the man then forced the woman into the store’s walk in cooler before fleeing the property on foot. Once the victim managed to exit the cooler and locate a secondary means of communication, she contacted 911. Officers responding to the call later recovered the victim’s discarded cell phone in a wooded area near the convenience store during a preliminary sweep of the neighborhood.

Police Pursuit and Arrest

Wadsworth officers utilized a description provided by the victim to monitor the area for the suspect’s vehicle. Just before 8:30 a.m., law enforcement spotted a vehicle matching the description and attempted a traffic stop. The driver refused to comply, initiating a pursuit through the city. The chase concluded at the suspect’s home on West Street, where he was taken into custody without further incident. The 52 year old individual was transported to the Medina County Jail, where he is currently being held pending his initial court appearance.