SCHENECTADY — A 15-year-old has been arrested in connection with recent robberies near the Union College campus, police said Wednesday.
The robberies happened Sept. 29 and Sept. 30 near the campus and the suspect displayed what appeared to be a handgun, police said.
Police made the arrest Tuesday evening as city officers, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, stopped an individual matching the description of the suspect involved in both robberies, police said.
The suspect, age 15 and from Schenectady, was stopped on Avenue A and found to be in possession of a bag that contained an imitation handgun, identified as a BB gun, police said.
The suspect was detained and brought to the station for further investigation, police said. The suspect was then charged as a juvenile with two counts of first-degree robbery, arraigned and released to the supervision of probation.
The arrest came after police issued a release on the incidents earlier Tuesday.
Police described three incidents in total, two robberies and an attempted robbery occurring last Thursday and Friday evenings on streets bordering on Union College.
In two of the incidents, police indicated the victims described two individuals involved.
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Ensure access to everything we do, today and every day, check out our subscribe page at DailyGazette.com/SubscribePolice said Wednesday the incidents remain under investigation, but the suspect arrested was the person being sought who had the firearm, that turned out to be the imitation handgun. Police also continued to look at the attempted robbery to determine if it is connected.
The first incident was reported just before 9 p.m. Thursday on the Nott Street side of the college, police said Tuesday. The person reported they’d been robbed by two suspects who had displayed what appeared to be a handgun. The suspects took money. The victim was not injured.
Hours later, just before midnight, police then responded to the area of St. John the Evangelist Church on Union Street for a report of an attempted robbery. The church is across Union Street from the college.
That victim in the second incident reported two suspects, as well, police said Tuesday. They displayed what appeared to be a handgun. That victim reported no injuries and no money taken, police said.
Then, just after 5:30 p.m. Friday, police responded to the Nott Street side of the college for another robbery report where a single suspect had shown what appeared to be a handgun. That suspect made off with money. The victim was not injured. A search of the area did not find the suspect, police said.
Police thanked the ATF and Union College Campus Safety for their assistance and apprehension of the suspect.
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