Officer Awarded For Helping Nab Assembly Row Robbery Suspect

SOMERVILLE, MA – A Somerville police officer received the Beyond The Call Of Duty this month for his efforts in tracking down the suspect in an armed robbery at Assembly Row. Police say 53-year-old Lorne Harrison walked into Kay Jewelers around 2:24 p.m. Aug. 30 and handed a shopping bag to the manager. Harrison allegedly showed a 1911 .45-caliber gun and told the manager to "fill it."

He fled with an estimated $30,000 in watches, according to police.

Officer Ariel Collazo, assigned to Assembly Row, worked alongside the complex security manager to track the suspect's movements prior to the robbery, including when he entered T.J. Maxx 20 minutes earlier without a disguise.

Collazo also tracked his escape to the T after the robbery. With several photos of the suspect made public, police quickly arrested Harrison and charged him with the robbery based on evidence found in his home.

"Thanks to Ariel's dogged work, and keen instincts, a dangerous individual will go back to serving the rest of his life behind bars," the Somerville Police Department said in a statement.

Image via Somerville Police Department