Same possible suspect sought in string of armed robberies in Waterbury, Watertown, Naugatuck, police say
A string of liquor store, convenience store and gas station robberies in Watertown, Naugatuck and Waterbury on Friday night has led police in the three municipalities to look for one possible suspect.
Officer Danielle Durette, public information officer for Naugatuck PD, said police believe the robberies may have been committed by the same man.
“We’re collaborating to figure that out. We don’t know for sure, but at this time we believe this based off of the similarities in the photos in video camera surveillance,” Durette said.
A statement from Watertown police said “investigators are working with law enforcement from Waterbury, Naugatuck and others who had similar crimes tonight and recently.”
On Friday, Naugatuck police reported that Cork and Keg Liquors, 430 Rubber Ave., was robbed at gunpoint. Surveillance video, timestamped 6:23 p.m., shows the suspect in a two-toned gray-and-dark zip-up hoodie, a dark cap and a dark mask.
Later that night, Cross Point Liquors at 799 New Haven Road was robbed at gunpoint by a suspect matching the same description and believed to be the same person, Naugatuck police report.
The same evening, at 7:21 p.m., a man wearing similar clothes robbed Oakville Wine and Liquor, 384 Buckingham St. in the Oakville section of Watertown. Eight minutes later, the Wine Rack at 764 Main St. in Oakville was robbed by a suspect “who is believed to be the same male,” Watertown police report.
Surveillance video of one of the Watertown robberies shows a man in a two-tone hoodie similar to that worn by the suspect caught on video in Naugatuck.
The Watertown release said police are looking for a small white SUV, possibly a Toyota RAV-4.
That same night, Waterbury police reported two armed robberies and one attempted armed robbery. The robberies occurred at 7 p.m. at a 7/11 at 1664 Baldwin St., and at 8:08 p.m. at a Mobil station at 2073 North Main St. The attempted robbery was at 7:04 p.m. at the Hopeville Package Store at 1593 Baldwin St.
“It appears to be the same male suspect in each incident” in the Brass City, Waterbury police report.
Durette said Naugatuck also is working with police in other towns who have had similar robberies recently, but did not name the towns.
Two days before the Naugatuck-Watertown incidents, two package stores in Bristol and one in Southington were robbed at gunpoint within one hour.
Southington police said they believe the suspect in that robbery fled with a woman in a white Buick Encore.
Tips and eyewitness reports on the suspect or the vehicle can be called in to Watertown Police at 860-945-5200, Crimestoppers at 860-945-9940 or (203) 755-1234, Naugatuck police at 203-729-5222 or 203-720-1010, Waterbury police at 203-574-6941 or emailed to tips@Watertownctpd.org.
Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com.
