TAUNTON, Mass. (WPRI) — Taunton police are investigating after a local robber threatened a convenience employee with an electronic stun gun.
Four other robberies involving stun guns were reported just this month in New Bedford and Fairhaven, but Taunton police have not said whether this specific case is connected.
Deen Jefferson said he was filling coolers at Pete’s Mart in Taunton Wednesday night when the suspect entered the store.
Jefferson said he quickly realized the man was masked and brandishing an electronic stun gun.
“He was actually activating it so it had that electrical current,” he said. “He said ‘I’m robbing you.’ I’m like, ‘are you serious?'”
Jefferson said he believes the man was the same person seen on video robbing a New Bedford store.
“It matches,” he said. “He was wearing the same clothes he was wearing [in the New Bedford video].”
Jefferson said he remained calm as the man pulled out a knife and tried to open the register drawer, demanding cash.
“I just stood still and made sure I made eye contact, just kept my cool,” he said.
According to police, the suspect took hundreds of dollars in cash from the store.
The robbery is the fifth by a stun gun-wielding suspect to be reported in Southeastern Massachusetts in a two week period. Three were in New Bedford, and one in Fairhaven.
Fairhaven Sgt. Kevin Kobza said Wednesday the stun gun robberies in Fairhaven and New Bedford appear to be by the same suspect.
“Same description of the weapon, same description of the suspect, same manner of behavior – pretty much the same M.O.,” he said.
The owner of Pete’s Market said he plans to buy an improved security system.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call police.
