Bandit Matching Suspect In Manchester Robberies Picked Up: Cops

MANCHESTER, CT — The bandit who held up a Manchester convenience store on Thursday seems to be the same person who pulled off another early morning caper on Tuesday in town and he appears to have been arrested in Windsor after a third robbery, police said.

At 12:26 a.m. Thursday a man burst into the Xtra Mart at 404 Hartford Turnpike in Manchester and made off with a "small amount of money," before fleeing onto Interstate-384 west in an older model Toyota Camry, police said. He implied he was going to use a firearm but never did, police said.

A gas station convenience store in Manchester was held up early Tuesday morning. The incident took place at 2:45 a.m. at the Xtra Mart at 95 Buckland St., according to dispatch records. A man took cash and cigarettes and apparently fled on foot up Redstone Road, where he may have jumped into a waiting vehicle, authorities said. He implied he had a weapon, police said.

Police on Thursday released images of both incidents.

Just after 3 a.m., Thursday, Windsor police arrested a man fitting the same description after a robbery there, Manchester police said. Manchester police said they believe he is the local robber and were working with Windsor police.

Police said the investigation remained open Thursday afternoon and anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious the areas at the times of the robberies is being asked to contact Manchester police at 860-645-5500.

Windsor Police identified the suspect as Robert Shepard, Jr., 41, of Coventry. He was charged with first-degree robbery, sixth-degree larceny, interfering with an officer, third-degree larceny, engaging police in a pursuit, reckless driving and criminal impersonation, police said.

Windsor police said they spoke with a clerk at Jay's Mobil, 680 Poquonock Ave. and she said a man entered the store and demanded cash while implying that he was armed. The clerk fought with the suspect who fled the store and climbed into a tan Toyota Camry with no license plate and fled south on Interstate-91.

A Windsor police officer spotted the car on I-91 southbound and followed it onto I-84 westbound, according to a report. The car then exited at Asylum Avenue in Hartford, according to a report.

After a short pursuit, the car overturned and the suspect fled on foot. The officer chased the suspect, catching him, and after a brief struggle was able to get the suspect under control and into custody, police said.

Photo Credit: MPD/XTra Mart; Windsor Police

To sign up for Manchester breaking news and more, click here.