Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Prescott man arrested for Hope robbery

A Prescott man accused of robbing a Hope grocery store remains in custody without bail. According to information from the Hope Police Department, Willious F. Block, 27, no address available, was arrested Nov. 28 after allegedly striking a clerk with a stick and taking the cash from the register.

Mary Alice Block, 45, of Hope, was also arrested.

According to a statement issued by HPD information officer Kim Tomlin, a call from Harvest Foods of Hope was received by law enforcement about 8:11 p.m. on Nov. 28. The information indicates that Willious Block had made a purchase at the store. When the cashier opened her register, he struck her with a stick, grabbed the cash and ran out of the store.

A pickup truck was apparently waiting down the street for him and HPD Officer Todd Lauterbach located the truck a short time later at a residence in the 500 block of North Walker Street. It was not the home of either of those arrested but officers did contact both Willious and Mary Alice Block at that residence, according to Tomlin.

Tomlin said that sufficient information was gathered at the scene to prompt the arrest of both Willious and Mary Alice Block.

Willious Block was arrested for aggravated robbery, commercial burglary, second-degree battery and theft of property valued less than $500.

Mary Alice Block, the alleged driver of the truck, was arrested for aggravated robbery, second-degree battery and theft of property valued at less than $500.

The amount of cash taken has not been released.

A spokesperson for the Hempstead County Jail said Monday that both Willious and Mary Alice Block remained in custody.