California man wearing Pennywise clown mask arrested for allegedly assaulting and robbing women

Joel Hernandez, 22, is facing charges of robbery and battery and is being held on a $200,000 bond.

A lady called 911 at about 5:15 p.m. to report {that a} man sporting a white clown mask and red sweatshirt had just robbed her as she withdrew cash from an ATM.

Joel Hernandez, 22, was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting one lady and robbing another while wearing a clown mask on Tuesday.  (Victorville Police Department)

Deputies detained Hernandez close by because he matched the description of the suspect and the victim recognized him as the person who attacked her.

While investigating that incident, deputies discovered {that a} second victim called 911 minutes before the robbery to report {that a} man in a white clown mask had groped her in the parking lot of a grocery retailer roughly 1 mile away from the bank.

A search of Hernandez’s backpack turned up a clown mask and $500 that he allegedly stole from the second victim, according to police.

Authorities recovered a clown mask and $500 the suspect allegedly stole from one of the victims. (Victorville Police Department)

The clown mask resembles Pennywise, the primary character in Stephen King’s horror novel “It.”

Authorities urged anybody else who might have been an alleged victim of Hernandez to contact the Victorville Police Department at 760-241-2911.