News Summary
Pawtucket police are investigating a series of armed robberies that occurred on Sunday, involving multiple convenience stores across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The robberies, suspected to be coordinated, began at Gulf Express II and included several other locations. Suspects are believed to be a group of young men, and authorities are urging the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Pawtucket, R.I. – A convenience store was robbed at gunpoint on Sunday night, prompting an investigation into a series of armed robberies that may be linked across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The incident took place at the Gulf Express II on East Avenue just before 9 p.m., where a male suspect threatened the clerk and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The clerk did not observe an actual firearm during the encounter, and no injuries were reported, according to the Pawtucket Police Department. This robbery was the first of three similar incidents that occurred that night, as part of a suspected coordinated series involving a group of young men.
Officials reported that the robbery spree began shortly before the Gulf Express II incident at Convenience R Us in nearby Central Falls around 11:10 p.m., followed by another theft at M&R Convenience in Pawtucket approximately 12 minutes later. The final robbery occurred at the Lucky Lottery & Smoke Shop on Route 1 in Attleboro around 11:50 p.m., where the suspects were armed with firearms and managed to steal nearly $8,000 from the register.
Authorities believe that the suspects in these thefts are a trio of men in their early to mid-20s with thin builds and average height. During the Attleboro robbery, two men were armed while a third remained in a vehicle identified as a white Kia Optima. After this successful theft, the suspects fled west on Bacon Street into Rhode Island.
Following the series of robberies, further incidents were reported in Providence and Cranston. At approximately 12:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Providence police were called to Quality Fuel on Smithfield Avenue for another armed robbery that investigators suspect may be related. Later that same day, Cranston police responded to a robbery at Food and Fuel around 8:30 p.m., where a suspect pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded cash, matching the description of earlier suspects.
In addition to these incidents, on October 21, an armed robbery was reported at West Mart Convenience & Smoke Shop in Pawtucket. Although it is unclear if this incident is connected to the ongoing series, police are continuing to investigate all leads.
As the investigation continues, local law enforcement agencies are encouraging anyone with information about the armed robberies to reach out to them. Authorities are emphasizing the importance of community vigilance in response to this spike in crime.
With these incidents raising concerns, residents are urged to remain alert and report any suspicious activity to help ensure public safety in the area. Police are committed to apprehending those responsible and are working collaboratively with neighboring jurisdictions to address these ongoing threats.
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Additional Resources
- ABC 6 News
- WPRI News
- Turn to 10 News
- Providence Journal
- GoLocalProv
- Wikipedia: Crime in the United States
