MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester Police have increased patrols around many West Side convenience stores during the last two weeks due to an uptick in store robberies. Last night, approximately 8:20 p.m. Officer Cody Healy and Jason Feliciano observed a lone male acting suspicious outside of Crosstown Variety.
They watched the man walk behind the store toward Hevey Street, but lost sight of him. Detective Matthew Jajuga informed the officers that another male had exited an apartment on Hevey Street and met up with the man the officers had seen moments before. The individual exiting 661 Hevey St. got on a bicycle and pedaled toward Crosstown Variety.
The subject was dressed in a dark colored sweatshirt, sweatpants and a black mask when Detective Jajuga observed him drop his bicycle at Rimmon Street near Bremer Street. He got off the bike and started to put gloves on while adjusting the mask on his face. The subject opened the door to the store, but immediately turned away due to a customer being inside the store.
Officers Feliciano and Healy chased him toward the Hevey Street address. They caught up to him and after a brief struggle placed him into custody. The officers conducted a search incident to arrest and located a realistic looking silver handgun, which proved to be a pellet gun.
Police arrested Joshua Gagne, 18, no fixed address. He was charged with armed robbery (attempt) and resisting arrest/detention detectives are currently working on the recent West Side robberies to determine if Gagne is connected to any of the previous seven robberies based on his physical descriptors, clothing and firearm confiscated during his arrest. Detectives have not ruled out adding additional charges upon the completion of their investigation.
Gagne will appear in the 9th Circuit Court-Manchester on January 31, 2017.
