On the evening of August 5, an armed robbery took place at a liquor store on SW Cutoff in Worcester, where the suspect allegedly used a handgun to intimidate a store clerk. Worcester Police officers arrested 36-year-old Liam Chagnon on charges of armed robbery shortly afterwards. The information was confirmed in a social media post by the Worcester Police Department.
According to an arrest triggered by the vigilant actions of a neighboring store manager. Mohamed Abdel-Mawla, the manager of a Worcester Price Chopper, had just driven an employee to work when he observed the suspect's suspicious behavior. Abdel-Mawla described seeing Chagnon entering the liquor store, hand in bag, before drawing out a firearm. This account was detailed in a CBS News Boston interview with the store manager.
Surveillance footage captured the tense moment inside the store where the suspect demanded merchandise, while Abdel-Mawla kept a careful watch. The manager's quick thinking led him to dial 911 and follow the suspect from a safe distance. He relayed his observations to police on the phone, noting Chagnon's fast pace, visible nervousness, and his unsuccessful attempts to enter other establishments.
"I felt that I had to follow him to make sure that people are safe from this guy," Abdel-Mawla told CBS News Boston. His attention to detail and description of the suspect's movements enabled police to apprehend Chagnon before he could pose a further threat. The liquor store manager acknowledged Chagnon as a regular customer who appeared different on the day of the incident. She expressed gratitude for Abdel-Mawla's brave efforts, adding that he seemed to be a protector of the community's security.
The clerk, threatened at gunpoint, bagged items while under duress, and the entire incident was captured on store surveillance. With Chagnon now in custody facing charges, the community is relieved—especially since no physical harm came to any individuals involved. The store manager, interviewed by WBZ-TV, reflected on the clerk's experience as detailed by CBS News Boston: "It was really bad because it was his first time he had ever seen a gun," evidently shaken by the traumatic event.
