By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to the Home Depot store on Mystic Ave. on reports of a larceny.

While en route to the scene, police dispatch relayed to responding units that the suspect had ran towards Lucky Strike and that the reporting party was possibly off with the suspect at Capital One. Dispatch provided a description of the suspect and that he could be in possession of a knife.

Upon arrival, the officers were flagged down by the victim in front of Capital One. The victim stated that the suspect had ran behind the building and was now running towards the Subway.

Officers spotted a man matching the description, later identified as William Hancock, of Rehoboth, and ordered him to stop, at which time he took off running towards the Assembly Orange line Substation.

Officers called for Hancock to stop and he complied. He was asked if he was in possession of a knife and he confirmed that there was a knife in his front pocket.

Officers then spoke with the victim, one of the managers at Home Depot, who witnessed Hancock walk past the registers and then make his way outside of the store with stolen property.

The victim said he asked Hancock to stop and return the items, and he then pulled a switch blade knife out of his pocket and attempted to swing it at him.

Hancock then left all of his belongings and took off running towards Lucky Strike. The victim then called Somerville Police and followed Hancock to Capital One.

Hancock was subsequently placed under arrest on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and on warrant charges of possession of a class B drug and receiving stolen property.