Cops: Leominster man terrorizes worker
Suspect arrested, held without bail
FITCHBURG » A Leominster man was arrested Friday while robbing a Main Street store and threatening an employee with a handgun, according to police and court documents.
Police were called to the MetroPCS on Main Street for a report of a robbery in progress at about 6:40 p.m. Friday, the reporting officer said.
When the officer arrived, he found Daniel R. DaSilva, 21, of 100 Cottage St., still inside the store and immediately placed him under arrest.
The store’s employee told the officer that DaSilva had entered the store, showed her what she believed to be a firearm and demanded all the money from the store’s register and safe.
The victim told the officer DaSilva forced her around the store during the course of the robbery, assaulting her several times by grabbing her arms and searching her with his hands.
DaSilva also threatened to kill the employee by putting the firearm he was carrying up to her forehead and side of her head if she didn’t cooperate and open the store’s safe, the victim told the officer.
He also forced the employee to give him $1,600 from the business’ cash register, which he placed in his pockets while continuing to threaten her with the firearm, the officer reported.
During the robbery DaSilva also damaged the store’s front window and destroyed a video camera recording system, the officer reported.
While DaSilva was still in the store, the employee was able to call 911 for help. When police arrived he was arrested.
As a result, DaSilva was charged with firearm
armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, larceny over $1,200, threat to commit a crime, and vandalism, according to court documents.
When arraigned on Monday in district court, a dangerousness hearing was held in which DaSilva was found to be dangerous and ordered held for 120 days without bail, according to court documents.
He will be eligible for release on Feb. 2, but will return to court on Nov. 2 for a pretrial hearing.