2 Suspects In Manchester Armed Robberies Picked Up By Police

MANCHESTER, CT — Manchester police have made two arrests in connection with three armed robberies this week at two filling station stores.

Patrick Tanasi, 42, of Manchester, was picked up at about 1 a.m. Friday as he was walking into the Sam’s Food store on Oakland Street, according to a report. He was a suspect in two of the robberies — one at a Mobil station on Hartford Road, and another at an Xtra Mart on Buckland Street.

For the caper on Hartford Road, Tanasi was charged with:

• First-degree robbery with a deadly weapon
• Conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery with a deadly weapon
• Sixth-degree larceny with a related conspiracy
• Criminal possession of a firearm

For the robbery at 95 Buckland St., he was charged with:

• First-degree robbery and a related conspiracy
• Sixth-degree larceny and a related conspiracy

Tanasi was held overnight on a $500,000 bond and was to appear in court Friday, police said.

Travis St. John, 43, was identified as a co-conspirator in the robbery at the Xtra Mart. He was arrested in Winsted after police there were tipped off to his presence, a report indicates.

Police took up "tactical positions" at a Winstead home, but St. John answered the door and was taken into custody without incident, according to a report. No weapons were found at the home, according to a report.

St. John is a felon with 21 convictions for offenses like robbery, evidence tampering, interfering with police, burglary and threatening, according to a report.

For the Buckland robbery, St. John was charged with:

• First-degree robbery and a related conspiracy
• Sixth-degree larceny and a related conspiracy

St. John was held on a $250,000 bond and was to appear in court Friday.

See details about the robberies, including surveillance images, here.