HARTFORD -- Two people are in custody after a police chase involving several towns unfolded Friday afternoon, and it was all over stolen cigarettes.alf.
It all started when police were called to an armed robbery at a Sunoco Gas station at 989 Farmington Ave in Farmington. A suspect drove off from the scene in a white or silver Nissan sedan, police said.
Then, Avon police reached out to Simsbury officers stating they were trying to stop a car matching that description. Simsbury police joined the pursuit with Avon, Captain Boulter said. That chase went on for about three miles, until the car entered Bloomfield. When Bloomfield police joined the case, Simsbury officers dropped off.
The car continued from Bloomfield to Hartford where it crashed.
The owner of the gas station Tabish Kahn, said the suspect came into the store asking for three cartons of cigarettes, valued at more than 250 dollars. Khan said he put the cigarettes on the counter and went to grab him another item. That's when the suspect flashed a gun at him and ran out of the store, telling him not to follow.
The suspect then ran into the getaway car that led police on a pursuit. Khan said he did manage to grab the license plate.
"Its my money, its my carton, its my merchandise and nobody can come and just intimidate me with a gun and take my stuff out," Kahn said. "I will not let it happen like this."
Kahn said this is the third time his store has been robbed in a year and a half.
Deputy Chief Brian Foley with Hartford Police said but both men have several pre-existing arrest warrants in several towns.
Foley identified the driver as Kennth McManus, 29, of Ellington and the passenger as Jason Thomas, 36, of Hartford. He added that no one was hurt and "no firearm recovered."
Each was charged with robbery in the first degree, conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree, larceny in the sixth degree and conspiracy to commit larceny in the sixth degree. Each was held on $50,000.00 bond.
