By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to a Cottage Ave. residence in the early morning hours of last Thursday on reports of an armed robbery.

Upon arrival at the scene the officers were met by a man and a woman who reportedly told police that they had been held up at gunpoint by three males, and that the suspects had ran up Chester St. towards Cambridge.

The victims told police that they had just arrived at the Cottage Ave. location by car and that they were approached by one of the three men who were walking by at that moment. The man reportedly asked for a cigarette, but when told by the victim that he had none he then brandished a firearm and said, “Give me your money.”

The suspect reportedly reached into the vehicle and took some money, a cell phone, and a box of breath mints. The two other suspects allegedly also had guns, according to the victims’ account, and demanded money from the female. After giving the men what money she had, they reportedly took her cell phone and fled the scene.

The father of one of the victims reportedly searched for the suspects and found three men sitting in a car at the 7-Eleven on Mass Ave. who fit the description provided, and appeared to be sweating and out of breath.

The store was less than a quarter of a mile away from where the robbery occurred.

After the victim’s father provided police with the vehicle’s license plate number, a call was made for other police units to check out the suspects at the Mass Ave. location.

While under police surveillance, one of the occupants of the vehicle reportedly stepped outside and approached the rear of the car. He was then ordered by police to stop, which he did, according to police.

Officers noted that one of the men in the car was wearing clothing that matched the description provided by the victims.

Police then conducted a show up identification, bringing one of the victims, the male, to the area where the suspects were being held. He reportedly told police that he recognized one of the men as one who had robbed him. “He’s the one that put the gun in my face and stole my property,” he reportedly told police.

The female victim was brought to the scene for a show up identification as well. She reportedly told police that she also recognized the man as being the ones who robbed them.

A search of the suspects’ vehicle yielded a handgun as well as cell phones matching the descriptions of those taken from the victims. The box of stolen breath mints was also retrieved.

Each of the three suspects, Jean Sainttrile, 18, Bradley Sylvestre, 19, and Jonathan Franklin, 20, were placed under arrest and charged with armed robbery.