Text Message Helps Fall River Police Catch Robbery Suspect

FALL RIVER — A well-timed text message helped Fall River Police catch a suspect wanted for armed robbery of a convenience store.

This past Monday at approximately 10:52 p.m., officers were dispatched to the Cumberland Farms at 864 Stafford Road in regards to an armed robbery. On arrival, they spoke to the store clerk, who stated she had just been robbed at knife point. She went on to say that a male entered the store, walked around, approached the counter and asked for a pack of cigarettes. The clerk turned away to get the cigarettes, and when she turned back to the male, he had pulled out a small black pocket knife from his pocket and demanded the money from the register. The male began tapping the knife against the register. The male took the money and walked out the store. The clerk stated the male was wearing a black puffy jacket and was about five feet, six inches tall.

Access to the store surveillance system was gained and a photo generated of the suspect. One officer took the photo and sent it by text message to other units canvassing the area. Prior to receiving this picture, another officer located a male entering a Maple Gardens apartment building fitting the description given by the first responding officers at the Cumberland Farms.

Police entered the building and began canvassing the apartments. While canvassing the apartments, a male stated he heard someone running on the second floor landing. Police located a black puffy jacket on the second floor landing. It was at this time that the photo text message was sent to their phones, and they realized the male who had sent them to the second floor was in fact the suspect.

The male, later identified as 37-year-old Carlos Maisonet, was detained until witnesses from the store arrived and positively identified him as the male with the knife. Maisonet was taken into custody and charged with armed robbery. The cash taken in the robbery was recovered.