Hamden man arraigned in mall robbery

BRIDGEPORT — A Hamden landscaper who held police here at bay for nearly six hours after allegedly robbing a jewelry store in the Trumbull mall at gunpoint was ordered held in lieu of $ 800,000 bond Monday.

Eddie Lynch, 24, of Mix Avenue, showed no emotion as he stood in his cell in the lockup of the Golden Hill Street courthouse viewing his arraignment hearing via video.

“He faces extremely serious charges. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt,” Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Nicholas Bove said, urging Superior Court Judge Kevin Doyle to set a high bond for Lynch.

Lynch’s lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Caroline Gallucci, urged the judge for leniency, pointing out that Lynch has worked as a landscaper in the Hamden area for about five years.

“These are serious allegations,” the judge said. “Shots were fired. The public was put at risk.”

In addition to the bond, the judge ordered Lynch to undergo mental health treatment. He then continued the case to Dec. 22.

Lynch is charged with attempted murder, firstdegree robbery, attempted assault of a public safety officer, attempted firstdegree assault and gun and motor vehicle charges.

Shortly after 7 p. m. Friday, Trumbull police were dispatched to the Westfield Mall for an incident at the Zale’s jewelry store. When officers got there, they found the jewelry store employees huddled together in the 7- Eleven next door, trying to console a female employee who was crying hysterically.

Police said witnesses told them a man dressed all in black had entered the jewelry store and asked to look at engagement rings. After looking at a couple of rings, police said the man told the female employee that he would be back with his girlfriend.

The female employee had turned to answer the telephone when, police said, the man, later identified as Lynch, pulled out a handgun and smashed it down on a glass case allegedly causing the gun to fire a shot that narrowly missed the employee.

Police said Lynch then allegedly grabbed some chains off the counter and ran out of the store.

Police attempted to block the entrances and exits from the mall parking lot, but they said Lynch managed to evade the blockades and drove away at high speed.

They pursued Lynch into Bridgeport, where police said he crashed into another car at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Anton Street.

Lynch’s car was disabled by the crash, police said. He sat in his car in the middle of the intersection, allegedly holding the gun.

Lynch continued to sit there, disregarding police orders to surrender, for nearly six hours until Bridgeport Police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald finally convinced him to surrender, the police report said.