Man charged with punching, robbing juvenile

Police flood area, use canine unit to find suspect

A man has been charged with allegedly punching and robbing a juvenile outside of a Connecticut store, leading investigators to use canine units and footage from several doorbell cameras to track him down, police said.

Police received several 911 calls reporting an armed robbery at the Ocean State Job Lot at 1666 Route 12 in the Gales Ferry section of Ledyard, police said.

Investigators learned that a man had walked up to a juvenile victim outside of the store, “sucker punched” him in the face and stole his phone and wallet, according to the Ledyard Police Department.

The man, identified as Lester J. Harris, ran off into the Norman Drive and Nugget Hill neighborhood, where investigators “flooded the neighborhood” to find him, police said.

Troopers from Connecticut State Police and officers from the Town of Groton Police Department were on the scene, too.

Several concerned residents offered video surveillance footage from their Ring doorbell cameras, and a state police brought in the canine unit to track Harris, police said.

Investigators found Harris behind a home at 15 Nugget Hill Drive.

He led police on a chase for about 200 yards before he was caught and arrested, police said.

The stolen property was recovered near the location of Harris’ arrest, police said.

Harris, who is unhoused, is charged with third-degree robbery, fifth-degree larceny, third-degree assault, risk of injury to a child, interfering with officer, and breach of peace, police said.

He was being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court in New London on Monday, police said.

The juvenile who was robbed had minor injuries and was given medical attention at the scene, police said.