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Three Boston men charged with robbing Randolph restaurant

Print | Comments () Posted by John Ellement February 1, 2011 12:41 PM

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By Katherine E. Landergan, Globe Correspondent

Three Boston men were arrested in Randolph last night after they allegedly robbed a D’Angelo’s sandwich shop and now are suspects in a string of unsolved armed robberies in Quincy and Boston, police said today.

Randolph Police Chief William Pace said today his officers rushed to the D’Angelo on Main Street (Route 28) at 9:30 last night after three men, wearing masks, stormed in and robbed the staff of receipts. At least one of the three appeared to be armed with a firearm, Pace said.

The suspects drove off, but were stopped by a Randolph detective on Condlin Drive, less than a quarter mile away from the restaurant, Pace said.

When "they stopped the vehicle they were changing their clothes and appeared nervous,” Pace said.

Inside the vehicle, he said, police found three blue sweatshirts like the ones the suspects were wearing at the time of the robbery. They also uncovered a black bag with money, a ski mask, plastic flex cuffs, and a BB gun, which closely resembled a handgun.

Pace identified the suspects as Lee M Francois, 26, and Johnson Charles, 26, both of the same address on Bicknell Street in Dorchester and Villy G. Bazile, 25, of Washington Street in West Roxbury.

The men were arrested on charges of armed robbery, and were scheduled to be arraigned today in Quincy District Court.

Pace said police in Boston and Quincy are investigating whether the trio are responsible for other armed robberies of businesses in the area.

“It’s the same method of operation, same description,” said Pace

In Quincy on Jan. 22, at 3:45 p.m., Quincy police responded to an armed robbery at a convenience store, police said.

Quincy Police Detective John Steele said that three men with a firearm looted money from Corner Food Mart on Hancock Street. The men avoided capture in Quincy, but are suspected of making their way to Randolph where they committed another armed robbery less than two hours later.

No car was observed, Steele said, adding, "But let’s put it this way: they made it to Randolph within the hour. They didn’t run.”

At 5:23 p.m. the same day, Randolph police responded to an armed robbery at Store 1 on North Main Street, Pace said.

He said the three men entered the store, wearing masks. One was armed with what appeared to be a black handgun, while another suspect carrying a bag told the clerk to place the money inside the bag and then ordered him to the ground. The incident was caught on a security camera.

Pace said Boston detectives came to Randolph station last night.

“They are investigating at least four other incidents, perhaps even more within the city,” Pace said.

“We were aware of incidents in Boston,’’ said Steele, the Quincy officer. “We believe to be the same suspects.”

Boston police declined comment saying the investigation is ongoing.