A masked gunman allegedly ripped a gold chain off a food delivery driver's neck in broad daylight on Normandy Street in Grove Hall, then fled on foot before investigators tracked a getaway vehicle north to Lawrence, where troopers pulled it over that same afternoon. Boston police say the suspect, 32-year-old Dorchester resident Eury Martin Avalo Baez, is now facing multiple charges in connection with the robbery.
According to Universal Hub, the masked man approached the delivery driver as he was returning to his car on Normandy Street between Stanwood and Devon streets, demanded the victim's gold chain, and displayed a handgun before ripping the chain from his neck. The suspect then fled on foot toward Devon Street. The Boston Police Department says Baez was ultimately charged with Armed and Masked Robbery, Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon, and Larceny from a Person.
Cameras Catch the Getaway Car
District B-2 detectives reviewed city cameras in the area and spotted a man matching the suspect's description run onto Devon Street and climb into the passenger side of a gray Ford Explorer, the outlet's report notes. Detectives shared an image of the vehicle with surrounding districts and outside agencies, and investigators tracked the SUV as it left Boston and headed north on Interstate 93.
The same report states that Massachusetts State Police troopers stopped the vehicle in Lawrence that afternoon. Investigators said the driver was wearing clothing matching what the suspect wore on video, and the driver was transported to District B-2, where he was placed under arrest.
Mask and Handgun Recovered in Search
After obtaining a search warrant for the Ford Explorer, detectives found a mask and a .45-caliber firearm inside, per the same account. Baez is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Friday.
Under Massachusetts law, armed robbery carries steep potential penalties. The statute on armed robbery states that a person who, while armed with a dangerous weapon, assaults another and robs, steals or takes property from that person's possession may be punished by imprisonment in state prison for life or for any term of years, according to the Massachusetts General Court. Separately, state law allows the Commonwealth to seek pretrial detention based on dangerousness for felony offenses involving the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force, per the Massachusetts General Court.
Part of a Pattern in Dorchester
This is not the first armed robbery investigation Boston police have closed out in Dorchester this year. In August, the department announced an investigation update after two suspects were arrested following an armed robbery in the neighborhood, and in April, officers with District C-11 arrested three suspects following a separate armed robbery call on Topliff Street. Boston police track broader crime trends through periodic public reports, including a comparison of crime statistics for the first nine months of 2026 against the same period in 2025.
