Concord Juvenile Charged After North End Pizzeria Robbery: Update

CONCORD, NH — A juvenile has been arrested on a robbery charge after an incident at a North End pizzeria on Monday.

Around 5:30 p.m., officers were sent to Checkmate Pizza on Washington Street for a report of a robbery where a clerk fought back and chased a suspect. The clerk, according to police, recovered the money.

A description was released about the suspect — including an injury to the assailant's hand. An officer, patrolling on Jennings Drive, found a boy wearing similar clothing and during questioning, saw the injured hand. Later during the interaction with the suspect, the officer radioed to dispatch that the boy admitted to the incident and he was taken into custody.

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Deputy John Thomas of the Concord Police Department confirmed the arrest on Tuesday — a single robbery charge, but due to the suspect being a juvenile, his name will not be released.

According to the department's initial investigation, the suspect is accused of attempting to break a $100 bill at the eatery. The clerk checked the bill and believed it to be counterfeit. After that, the suspect grabbed cash from the open register and fled the eatery, Thomas said.

The clerk, however, chased the suspect. After catching up with the suspect, the clerk tackled him to the ground and was able to get the money back. During the scuffle, the suspect claimed to have a gun, Thomas said.

"No gun was found," Thomas said, "and (a gun) was not used during the grab. It was just before (the clerk) got a hold of him."

Checkmate Pizza and areas where the chase took place were searched but no gun was found.

Thomas could not comment on whether or not the suspect would be charged with attempting to pass a counterfeit $100 bill, too.

Past scanner chatter and reports by police and dispatch in the field reveals the juvenile has had many other prior criminal cases.

New Hampshire state law was updated several years ago disallowing the release of arrest or indictment information of anyone under 18. Previously, the law was 17 years of age or older.

Chapter 169-B, the state's delinquent children provisions, outlines specifics about juvenile cases — with most of the decisions being made by judges with recommendations from prosecutors.

The statutes primarily focus on rehabilitation but some, more dangerous juveniles, can be confined to short or long periods of time at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester — with the hope young criminals will become reformed or reform themselves. Those crimes, however, tend to be very violent in nature. As a suspect gets closer to the age of 18, more provisions kick in allowing for a greater tightening of cases against the juvenile.

It is unknown at what level a juvenile who is repeatedly charged for petty crimes or is arrested on felony-level charges like robbery, making gun threats, and/or passing counterfeit money would be treated like an adult.

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