String of robberies leads to arrest of several suspects

December 14, 2012

By

DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

PAWTUCKET â€“ Responding to a recent rash of robberies in the city, Pawtucket Police have made a series of arrests including some suspects believed to be involved in multiple incidents.
â€śAs our crime-mapping tools sharpened the patterns our investigations were turning up, we were better able to target our resources to make arrests that we believe will put a major dent in this recent illegal activity and make the community safer,â€ť Police Chief Paul King said.
Over the last month, police investigated a total of 17 robberies in the city, including several at convenience stores as well as those of pedestrians accosted on the street. A series of arrests have resulted, and similarities observed in some of the robberies may lead to additional charges against those already arrested, King said.
Recent robbery arrests include Jovantey Mendes, 18, of Orient Avenue, Pawtucket and three juveniles who were allegedly involved in an incident on Nov. 16 where a pizza delivery driver was robbed of cash at gunpoint.
Mendes was also charged for a street robbery with a firearm on Nov. 23 on Amey Street, along with a juvenile male. The victim told police he was attempting to sell a cell phone he had listed on Craigâ€™s List, the popular online ad site, when the incident occurred.
Pawtucket Police also arrested three juveniles and an adult male for a street robbery on Dec. 8 on Main Street, where the victim was threatened with a board. The adult is identified as Marklyn Brown, 18, of Montgomery Street, Cranston. Police said the victim had cash and a backpack stolen.
Additionally, Roy Bardsley, 36, of Ice Pond Road in Attleboro, Mass. was arrested for a motor vehicle robbery (with no weapons) on Dec. 10. The victim was forced from her vehicle while parked in the front of the Montgomery Street Post Office.
King said that detectives are investigating whether the first group of suspects may be responsible for up to three robberies. They are also looking at another group of individuals who may be responsible for as many as seven robbery incidents. He said the investigations are continuing and more arrests are expected.
King said that in past years, robberies have typically spiked from right after Thanksgiving to just before Christmas. â€śAlthough these recent incidents are troubling, the 81 robberies reported through Dec. 13 is significantly down from the 99 last year for the same period, a reduction of 18 percent,â€ť the police chief noted. He said that year-to-date burglary totals are also down by 9 percent when compared with last year.
Anyone with information on any of the unsolved robbery cases or any other case is asked to contact the Pawtucket Police Detective Division at 401-727-9100.