Dedham Police searching for suspect seen robbing convenience store on video

DEDHAM, Mass. — Police in Dedham are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect seen on video robbing a convenience store in the town. That video shows a masked gunman yelling and demanding cash from the clerk. Police believe the robbery is connected to others in Dedham and West Roxbury.

Investigators are hoping people can identify the man’s voice, which can be heard clearly in that video. Dedham Police hope someone recognizes it and can help put this man away.

The robbery only lasted for a minute, but it was a terrifying minute for Bharut Patel. The gunman ordered Patel to clear out two registers and then demanded rolling papers on his way out.

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Patel’s son, Keyur, says the man got away with a few hundred dollars. Keyur says the incident was the second time they’ve been robbed since august.

“We don’t feel safe anymore,” he said.

Four days after the robbery, police say a clerk was shot less than a mile away in another attempted robbery at a Sunoco Gas station.

The clerk is expected to survive, but the Patels are scared. This week they installed a smart lock on the front door that can be controlled from a cell phone.

There are nine cameras set up in and around the store. Of course, one of them recorded the robbery in progress last week. But Keyur Patel says even those aren’t good enough. He wants to replace all of them with high definition cameras.

“We have no idea why,” he said when asked if he knew why people were targeting the shop. “We are just honest people here. We’re just trying to make a living.”

The suspect isn’t very tall, said to be between 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-7. If you recognize that voice or know something about the crime, call Dedham Police.

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