Police Have A Suspect In Knife-Point Robberies

A West Haven man police charged in connection to a knife-point robbery at a convenience store in Guilford Saturday is also a suspect in similar crimes in throughout the Valley.

The man, Anthony Simons, 44, is being held in lieu of $250,000 bond at Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown.

He faces charges of first-degree robbery, breach of peace, sixth-degree larceny, and second-degree threatening in the Guilford case.

The New Haven Register reported Monday that Simons is a person of interest” in connection with several knife-point robberies at businesses in Milford in September and October.

The Register also quoted a police spokesman who said Simons is also a suspect in a Bristol case and others throughout the state.

Click here to read more from the Register.

In the Valley, Shelton police are pursuing charges against Simons in connection with a stick-up at a River Road gas station last month.

Detective Ben Trabka said police will be applying for a warrant for Simons in connection with the Nov. 30 robbery of the Citgo Station on River Road.

The crime’s MO was similar to those in Milford, he said.

He went in, displayed a knife, and took money from the clerk,” Trabka said. We had been working with Milford for about the past month on it.”

There were no injuries in the Shelton robbery, which occurred about 10 p.m. Nov. 30.

In Ansonia, police are trying to determine whether Simons is the man responsible for the robbery of the XTra Mart convenience store on Wakelee Ave last Monday (Dec. 3).

The day after the stick-up, Ansonia police said the crime was similar to eight other heists throughout southwestern Connecticut.”

On Tuesday, Police Chief Kevin Hale said during an Aldermen’s meeting that police are looking into whether Simons is their man.

Lt. Andrew Cota said Thursday that detectives will make a connection between the XTra Mart heist and Simons, if there is one.

It is very similar to ours and we will see if we can confirm through video and witness accounts,” Cota said in an e‑mail. If it is him we will complete a warrant.”

Similar robberies have also been reported in Seymour and Derby over the past several months.

The day before Simons’ arrest in Guilford, the Dunkin’ Donuts on Route 34 in Seymour was robbed at knife-point about 7:30 p.m.

Seymour Police Lt. Paul Satkowski said Thursday that Simons is a suspect in that robbery as well.

He has been determined to be a suspect in our case, also,” Satkowski said. We’re definitely looking at him as a strong suspect.”

Derby Police Lt. Sal Frosceno said Simons may be linked to two similar cases in the past six months or so.

We are wokring that angle, and we believe evidence may support connecting him with two cases we’re working on,” Frosceno said. The MO fits.”

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