Rumors of Armed Robbery At Enfield ATM Unfounded: Police Chief

ENFIELD, CT — A social media post stating an armed robbery had taken place Friday afternoon at an automated teller machine in the Stateline Plaza parking lot was unfounded, according to Enfield Police Chief Alaric Fox.

The Twitter post by an account called @BreakingNowCT, shown below, went public at 4:11 p.m. Friday:

Upon receipt of the notification, Enfield Patch immediately called the Enfield Police Department, and Sgt. Chuck Lelas said the initial dispatch contained erroneous information, but police were in fact investigating a reported larceny from Home Depot.

Fox sent an email to town officials and police department staff, stating a possible robbery had taken place shortly before 4 p.m. The message read:

"The complainant was a third party parked in the lot who stated suspects got into a car near his and one of them appeared to be holding a handgun. Another caller reported seeing the suspects running through the lot but with no handgun seen. The store confirms that there was a larceny, but no weapons actual or implied as far as what we have been told. At this point, we believe this to be a larceny only."

Nonetheless, rumors continued to escalate on social media, continuing into Monday, with posts referring to "the armed robbery at the ATM" being made, as well as tips about protecting one's self at ATMs.

In a phone conversation with Patch Monday morning, Fox reiterated that no armed robbery took place at the ATM, but investigation continues into the larceny and subsequent flight of the suspects.

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