A 19-year-old man and a juvenile have been charged in an attempted armed robbery in Manchester on Tuesday after police used a drone to catch them.
The attempted holdup was reported at Neighbors Mart at 129 Center St. just before 11:50 p.m., according to Lt. Nicholas Reinert of the Manchester Police Department.
Reinert said the clerk told police two people entered the store wearing dark clothing and tried to rob him, pointing a gun in his direction. The clerk reportedly told the suspects to leave repeatedly and then called 911, according to Reinert. Video released by police shows the clerk run toward the suspects before a verbal exchange takes place. They appear to have fled when he showed that he was contacting authorities.
Investigators deployed a drone with thermal imaging capabilities and spotted two people running along the Cheeney Rail Trail near the intersection of Pine Street and Arch Street, Reinert said. Using the drone, officers found that one of the individuals hid behind a dumpster, where he was taken into custody and identified as 19-year-old Danny Rodriguez, Jr. of Hartford, Reinert said. A second suspect, a 17-year-old juvenile from Manchester, was also found in the area and taken into custody.
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Reinert said police did not find either suspect with a firearm. A K-9 Unit responded to assist in finding the gun that was used and helped locate a backpack in the area that investigators believe was ditched. In the bag, police allegedly found a loaded AK-47 style pistol and a high-capacity magazine with 21 rounds of ammunition, Reinert said.
Rodriguez was charged with first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, first-degree threatening, criminal use of a firearm, carrying a dangerous weapon, second-degree breach of peace, possession of a large capacity magazine, carrying a pistol without a permit, possession of an assault weapon, first-degree reckless endangerment and interfering with police.
He was held on a $1 million bond and is set to face a judge on Jan. 21 in Manchester Superior Court, Reinert said.
The juvenile was charged with first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, second-degree threatening, first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree breach of peace, criminal attempt to commit third-degree assault and interfering with police.
Reinert said police are still investigating the robbery. Anyone with information has been asked to contact the police department at 860-645-5500.