STATE OF CONNECTICUT Department of Public Safety 1111 Country Club Road Middletown, Connecticut 06457	Contact:  860-685-8230 pio.dps@po.state.ct.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 9, 2010

          STATE POLICE MAKE ARREST IN CANTERBURY ARMED ROBBERY

   On May 30, 2010, at 11:55 p.m., State Troopers from Troop D responded to an armed robbery at the Cumberland Farms Store, 188 Westminster Road, Canterbury.  Troopers learned that a male subject entered the store masked and armed with a pistol. The subject demanded cash from the clerk and fled from the area on foot.  Detectives from the Eastern District Major Crime Squad responded to assist in the investigation and process the scene.

   State Police Detectives developed information regarding a suspect in the robbery and later confirmed his involvement through interviews and information received from Norwich Police Detectives. As the investigation continued, multiple crimes took place in the Bennett Pond Road area of Canterbury.

   On June 8, 2010, Detectives from the Eastern District Major Crime Squad interviewed the suspect regarding this investigation. As State Police Detectives began to take this suspect into custody on a Violation of Probation Warrant, the suspect fled from State Police Detectives into a adjacent wooded area.  A search for the suspect was conducted by Detectives and Troopers from Troop D, and State Police K-9 teams. The search continued late into the night but the suspect was not located.

   On June 9, 2010, at 9:08 a.m., State Police Troopers and Detectives located and apprehended the suspect, identified as Dean Craven DOB: 01/10/1972, of no certain address. Troopers had developed information that the suspect was waiting at 57 Westminster Road for someone to meet him there. Craven was taken into custody at that location without incident by State Police Troopers and Detectives from Troop D and K-9 teams.

   At the time of Craven’s arrest, it was learned that he had recently burglarized a nearby home and took items from the property.  Subsequent to Craven’s arrest on the violation of probation warrant, a warrant was issued for Craven’s arrest for his participation in the Cumberland Farms Store robbery on May 30, 2010.

   Craven was charged with Robbery 1^St Degree, Larceny 6^th Degree, Threatening, Breach of Peace and Escape 1^St Degree regarding his involvement in the May 30 Cumberland Farms robbery and his June 8 escape from Detectives.  Craven was also charged with Burglary 3^rd Degree and Larceny 6^th Degree regarding the burglary he committed to the nearby residence where he was apprehended.

   Craven was transported to Troop D in Danielson where he was processed and held on a $250,000 court set bond for the robbery, $100,000 cash bond for the burglary, and $5,000 bond on the unrelated violation of probation warrant.

   Craven is scheduled for arraignment in Danielson Superior Court on June 10, 2010. 

   During the apprehension of Craven, the Helen Baldwin School was briefly locked down for security purposes due to Craven’s close proximity to the school.  More arrests are expected regarding the robbery and other crimes committed in the Canterbury area.  Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Troop D Detectives at (860) 779-4900. 

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