On May 11, 2024, at approximately 9:56 p.m. officers from the Ashland Police Department responded to a report of an armed robbery that occurred on Walker near East Main Street.
The investigation revealed the lone victim, an adult male, was walking home from work when he was approached by two people. One of the suspects produced a handgun, menaced the victim, and demanded his property.
The victim turned over property to the suspects who then fled the scene on foot. The victim walked to a nearby home and requested that the police be called.
Detectives from the APD Criminal Investigations Division were called in and tracked the suspects to a home in the 200 block of Tolman Creek Road within the City of Ashland.
On May 12, 2024, as the investigation and surveillance efforts continued, one of the suspects, Cluff, was seen leaving the home on Tolman Creek and visiting stores in the area. Several units from the Ashland Police Department, assisted by the Talent Police Department, contacted the vehicle that the suspect was in as it pulled into the Albertson’s parking lot at approximately 10:44 a.m.
A high-risk traffic stop was conducted in the Albertson’s parking lot and Cluff was detained without incident.
The second suspect was contacted shortly thereafter at the Tolman Creek house and also detained without incident.
Detectives applied for and were granted a search warrant for the residence on Tolman Creek. Upon execution of the warrant, evidence of the crime was recovered.
The suspects are identified as Matthew Cole, 18 years old, Medford resident and Seth Cluff, 24 years old, Ashland resident.
Both suspects were lodged on charges of Menacing, Theft 2nd Degree, Robbery 1st Degree, Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery 1st Degree. Both remain in custody as of this release.
The investigation indicates that this was a targeted robbery, not a random occurrence.