WALKER, Mich. – The U.S. Western Michigan Fugitive Task Force is looking for a fugitive who violated the conditions of his release here in Michigan.
32-year-old Joseph Andersen was arrested by the FBI back in 2005 for a string of robberies that included four stick-ups in three months at the same U-Haul location in Walker. According to FBI documents obtained by FOX17, on January 17, 2005, Andersen entered the U-Haul location on Alpine NW and robbed employees using a chrome Ruger pistol. He escaped with $586. Again on January 24, just a few days later, Andersen again entered the store and robbed employees, making off this time with $1,020. The third robbery took place on February 18 – Andersen took $836 from the store, but this time store employees observed him driving off in a light colored Pontiac Grand Am. The fourth and final robbery at the U-Haul store took place on March 16. Anderson made off with $700, however, authorities were able to find footprints in the fresh snow, as well as a Newport Cigarette butt.
Then, on March 22 of 2005, Andersen entered the Meijer Credit Union on Gaynor NW in Walker. One of the victims recognized Andersen, who had his face covered during all of his robberies, as someone the victim went to high school with. Andersen left the credit union with over $11,000 – but police began to piece together the evidence. They discovered that Andersen was the owner of a white Pontiac that matched the vehicle description from the robberies. They also discovered Andersen regularly smoked Newport brand cigarettes, and that he was employed for a short period by the Walker U-Haul store that had been robbed four times.
Authorities obtained search warrants for Andersen’s residence, and upon executing that warrant, found shoes matching the tread of the footprints outside the U-Haul store, cash, drugs, the Ruger pistol used in the robberies, and a handwritten note from Andersen to his brother with detailed instructions for recovering a bag of money following one of the robberies.
After serving time for his crimes, Andersen was granted release under federal supervision, but is now lose after absconding from his parole.
If you know where Andersen might be, or any other information regarding this case, you’re encouraged to contact the U.S. Marshall's at 1-877-926-8332.
