RobberySuspectCaughtAfterChase

Richard M. Schwartz, 44 of 30 Striper Avenue in Westbrook has been arrested and charged with the armed robbery of an Essex tavern on June 12 and an Old Saybrook deli/café on June 7. It is not yet clear if Schwartz was also involved with the armed robbery of a Westbrook Dunkin Donuts on May 26 and an armed robbery of a Groton music store on June 7.

It all began at approximately 3:35 p.m. on Monday, June 12 when Connecticut State Police at Troop F in Westbrook received a 911 call reporting that a man robbed Oliver's Restaurant & Tavern on Westbrook Road in Essex at gunpoint. The suspect fled the scene in a blue pickup truck with an undetermined amount of cash.

According to the details of a press release issued by Sergeant J. Paul Vance of the State Police Public Information Office, while Troopers interviewed victims and witnesses at the scene of the robbery, a State Trooper reported to headquarters that the suspect vehicle was spotted traveling on Route 153 toward Westbrook.

After State Police issued a bulletin to all surrounding police agencies, an Old Saybrook patrol officer spotted a blue pickup on Main Street and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver refused to pull over and engaged Old Saybrook police in pursuit.

According to Old Saybrook Public Information Officer Lieutenant Michael Spera, the suspect vehicle swerved to try and hit a cruiser that was approaching from the opposite direction.

Old Saybrook police continued to pursue the vehicle as it entered I-95 northbound toward New London.

While both Old Saybrook and State Troopers chased the suspect vehicle over the Baldwin Bridge that crosses over the Connecticut River, another group of State Police lay in waiting on I-95 near Exit 70.

Troopers laid out stop sticks in the highway in attempt to flatten the suspect's tires, according to Sergeant Vance. The driver attempted to avoid the sticks, lost control of the vehicle, and crashed into the median divider just east of the Baldwin Bridge in Old Lyme.

The suspect was immediately taken into custody without further incident and no injuries were reported during the entire police chase.

After searching the vehicle, "Troopers recovered a handgun from the suspect's pickup," stated Vance.

Schwartz was also charged with engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving, and additional motor vehicle violations following the police chase.

After Schwartz was arrested on Monday, June 12 for allegedly robbing Oliver's Tavern, police from Old Saybrook and the State Police Crime Squad searched his home and seized undisclosed evidence related to the June 7 cafe robbery.

On Tuesday, June 13 Schwartz was arrested by Old Saybrook police and charged with two counts of robbery in the first degree, larceny in the fourth degree, and larceny in the sixth

degree in connection with the June 7 robbery of the Cloud Nine Catering and Deli Cafe located at 256 Boston Post Road.

State Police are still investigating if Schwartz is connected with the May 26 armed robbery of a Westbrook Dunkin Donuts. Detectives in Groton are still investigating whether Schwartz was involved in the June 7 armed robbery of the Groton Music Center store in which a guitar was taken at gunpoint.

Schwartz was arrested by the Clinton police in August 2003 for firing a shotgun over a crowd of guests at a local party. Schwartz, who had not been invited to the party, reportedly became incensed after he was asked to leave. After leading police in a foot chase, Schwartz was charged with five counts of unlawful discharge of firearms-one for each shotgun casing found on site-and two counts of carrying dangerous weapons. He was also charged with reckless endangerment in the first degree, interfering with an officer, and two counts of having weapons in a motor vehicle.

Earlier on the same day in 2003, Schwartz was allegedly involved in an "apparent road rage" incident, according to police reports. Schwartz reportedly smashed his blue 1985 GMC truck into three parked vehicles at the intersection of Hull and West Main Streets in Clinton and fled the scene of the crime. No one was injured in the incident, but Schwartz was charged with reckless driving, evading responsibility, failure to drive on the right side of the road, and criminal mischief in the first degree.