Stickel has sticky fingers in store robbery

On 12-01-2020 at approximately 6:56 AM, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a robbery that had just occurred at NorCal Gasoline (18770 North Highway 1 in Fort Bragg, California.

Deputies responded to the location and arrived within a few minutes of receiving the call.

Deputies learned that the unidentified male suspect had been previously banished from the store and advised not to return. On this morning, the suspect entered the store and was immediately asked to leave, which he refused to do.

The suspect then took an alcoholic beverage and placed it near the register and demanded some cigarettes from behind the counter. When the store clerk reached out to take the can while refusing the sale, the suspect then forcefully pulled the can from the clerk’s hands. The suspect then went behind the counter and took numerous packs of cigarettes and left the store.

At around 7:00 PM, a photograph of the suspect committing the robbery was added to the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, with a request that the community assist in his identification.

Shortly after the posting, tips were received that assisted Deputies in positively identifying him as Nathan Lee Stickel.

An attempt to contact Stickel at his residence was met with no response from him.

Deputies developed probable cause and authored an affidavit in support of a search warrant for Stickel’s residence and presented it to a Mendocino County Superior Court Judge.

This Judge approved the search warrant and it was served at 9:45 PM.  After refusing to open the door of the residence, it was forced open and Stickel was quickly detained.

Evidence directly linking Stickel to the robbery was located and he was arrested for 211 PC (Strong Arm Robbery).

Stickel was booked into Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held on $75,000.00 bail.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the community members that provided information that led to a quick resolution of this investigation.