A suspect who was wanted in connection with two armed robberies was arrested near the campus of Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire, on Thursday morning.
Derry police said they received a 911 call shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday reporting an armed robbery in the parking lot of a condominium complex on Pembroke Drive. The caller said a man in his 30s had just confronted him as he was walking to his car. He said the suspect placed a handgun against his side and demanded money, and then fled on foot with the victim's backpack.
Police began searching the area for the suspect, and nearby Pinkerton Academy issued a shelter-in-place while police swept the area.
Around 8:45 p.m., police received another 911 call from a woman who said a man had just tried to rob her and her fiancé in the same condo complex as the earlier report. The suspect, who was known to the victims, fled on foot and was believed to still be in the area.
About 15 minutes later, a Derry police school resource officer who is assigned to Pinkerton Academy saw a man matching the suspect's description walking on Pinkerton Street toward Hoodkroft Drive. After a brief foot pursuit, he was taken into custody.
During a sweep of the area, police said they recovered an Airsoft handgun and a backpack.
The suspect, identified by police as Edward C. Shea, 33, of Derry, is charged with robbery, attempted robbery and criminal threat with a firearm. He was taken to the Rockingham County Jail, where he will be processed and bail set. He is expected to be arraigned Friday in Derry District Court.
