Rockland Police Arrest Convenience Store Robber Armed With Hand Grenade
ROCKLAND (CBS) - Rockland Police have arrested a man who they say robbed a Tedeschi's convenience store over the weekend with a hand grenade.
Mark Whittles, 49, of Pembroke was charged Tuesday with armed robbery, possession of an explosive device and threats concerning the location of dangerous items.
Police say Whittles entered the Union Street shop Friday night wearing a green bandana over his face and showed a grenade to the clerk.
He allegedly demanded money and a pack of Camel non-filtered cigarettes before running away.
Police said an anonymous tip led them to a home on Pacific Street Tuesday, where he was arrested.
Rockland detectives set up surveillance on the house where Whittles' sister lived. This morning, as the trash collectors came down the street, one of the undercover detectives told them to pass by the house in question, and not to pick up their garbage.
Sure enough, police found the grenade in a soup can, inside the garbage.
Whittles was arrested shortly after. He will be arraigned in Hingham District Court Wednesday.
WBZ-TV's Bill Shields contributed to this report.
