A rapid series of thefts shook Fall River, Massachusetts, as a man targeted three stores in a half-hour spree last night. Falling within the jurisdiction of petty crime, the incidents began with the Maplewood Mini Mart on Stafford Road at around 10:08 p.m., where 45-year-old William Bruce, wearing a green T-shirt and hat, demanded money before fleeing with an undisclosed sum. According to officials, the Fall River native then proceeded to the Country Convenience on Country Street, attempting another robbery at 10:18 p.m., only to leave abruptly after the clerk's call for help "spooked" him, according to a report by NBC Boston.
The streak did not stop there; Bruce continued his spree at the Family Dollar on Stafford Road ten minutes later. This time, when confronted by an employee, Bruce purportedly claimed he just wanted to "see her reaction" after demanding all the cash in the register, as reported by NBC Boston. Moving quickly, local police officers matched Bruce to the description of the suspect and, subsequent to a brief search, intercepted him while he was driving a white minivan close to Huard and Albert streets.
Bruce, who appears to have worked alone, was arrested and now faces charges including armed robbery and two counts of unarmed robbery. His apprehension was a result of rapid and coordinated law enforcement responses to the successive robbery alerts. Not long after the Family Dollar incident, police managed to track down the suspect's vehicle, leading to the swift arrest. His court appearance details remain unspecified as the investigation is ongoing, as indicated in a statement by the Fall River Police Department.
The string of incidents has prompted an active investigation, with the police piecing together the sequence of events. "The suspect indicated he just wanted to see her reaction and he left the business," Boston 25 News quoted a police statement about Bruce's interaction at the Family Dollar. The community of Fall River is now left considering the security of local businesses as law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances that led to Thursday's string of attempted and completed thefts.
