Concord Man Accused Of Using Knife During Sunoco Robbery: Court

CONCORD, NH — A tip, a chance encounter, and detectives spending days working a case led to charges against a Concord man after a gas station was robbed last month, according to a court affidavit. The Sunoco gas station on Manchester Street was robbed at knifepoint at just after 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 15. Officers arrived at the gas station to take a statement from a store clerk while other officers searched the immediate area.

One officer, patrolling Manchester Street, located a man identified as Tyler Carlson, 30, of Concord, walking on foot near the Laundromat. Carlson was questioned and reportedly stated he was coming from a friend's house and left the area.

That officer then went to the gas station to assist with the case while Concord EMTs treated a clerk who was cut during the incident. The clerk stated that he was making a coffee when a man came up behind him with a knife and demanded "the f------ money!" The man was holding a large kitchen knife, similar to a butcher knife, the clerk stated.

The clerk then threw his cup of coffee at the man and grabbed the knife. This led to the clerk being cut in the palm of his hand after the man pulled the knife away, according to an affidavit. The man then ran out of the store and the clerk attempted to see where he went. The clerk stated the man headed west but didn't know if he was on foot or in a vehicle.

Officers eyed video surveillance, took some screenshots, and attempted to search the immediate area with the likeness of the suspect.

At Dunkin' Donuts, a detective who was working patrol that night spoke to a clerk who stated the man in the picture was in the store earlier and then, walked across the street.

The next day, police received an anonymous tip that a suspect from the robbery might be at Concord Hospital. Two detectives went to the hospital and spoke with the man who turned out to be Carlson, the same man the officer spoke with the night of the incident.

"Carlson waived his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with us," the detective said while recording the conversation. "Carlson confessed that he committed the robbery at Sunoco."

Carlson, according to the affidavit, said "he was on an approximate two-day drug and alcohol bender" at the Holiday Inn in Concord. Specifically, the affidavit claimed Carlson admitted to "injecting cocaine and heroin" in the hours leading up to the robbery.

"Carlson said he did not have any more money but wanted to continue to use drugs," the detective stated. "Carlson said he retrieved his butcher knife from where he was staying (and) said he wanted to commit a robbery to steal money to purchase more drugs."

At first, Carlson reportedly stated he was going to rob the Dunkin' Donuts but left the business. At the gas station, he said he "felt sick about doing it" but went in anyway, the affidavit stated. Carlson said "he could not recall" exactly what he said but remembered coffee being thrown at him and the clerk pushing him. After that, the affidavit accused him of admitting to fleeing the scene.

"Carlson said he laid down behind the (Endicott Furniture) building and cried," the detective alleged. "Carlson said he tossed the knife in this area (and) the next thing he recalled was waking up (on) Manchester Street."

The detective stated Carlson told some family members and his ex about what happened.

On Nov. 18, a detective and a state police K-9 unit searched the area behind the Endicott Furniture building and found a knife matching the one seen in security video at the store. The apartment where Carlson was staying was also searched and the detective reportedly found clothing matching the description of the clothing of the suspect at the gas station.

A detective spoke to a woman who knew Carlson on Nov. 19 and reported in the affidavit that 20 minutes before the robbery, the woman received a text from Carlson stating, "Mind if I grab 50? Gonna stab someone otherwise." She positively identified Carlson as the suspect from video footage at the gas station, according to the affidavit. She also stated she had bought the knife on Amazon for him as a present since he was a line cook at a restaurant.

After other interviews, the detective filed an affidavit for Carlson's arrest and he was picked up

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the removal request process for New Hampshire Patch police reports.

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