City man nabbed in George and Ed's robbery

Michael Richardson (Rochester Police photo)

ROCHESTER - A Rochester man who made his getaway on a mountain bike after he allegedly robbed a downtown convenience store today was arrested several hours later without incident inside a vacant Moores Court apartment.

Michael Richardson, 39, of 13.5 Moores Court, was charged with felony armed robbery and an outstanding bench warrant.

Police say they responded to George and Ed's Convenience Store on North Main around 9:45 a.m. for a robbery report and interviewed a female clerk who was alone at the time of the incident.

Police say she described a white male about 5'10"-6' tall with brown hair and beard who entered the store wearing a blue hooded Pittsburg Steelers sweatshirt, a blue baseball hat, jeans and sneakers.

She said the suspect purchased an item from the store but when she opened the register drawer he reached over the counter, grabbing the money while also making reference to a firearm though none was shown.

The suspect then left the store getting on a mountain bike which he rode up Maple Street, according to police.

A Rochester Police K-9 Unit responded to the scene and conducted a track, but was not able to locate him.

As a result of the investigation, however, Rochester Police were led to a vacant apartment on Moores Court where Richardson was found hiding inside.

He refused bail and was transported to Strafford County Jail where he will remain until his video arraignment on Wednesday at Rochester District Court.

The clerk at George and Ed's was uninjured during the incident.

It was the city's second armed robbery in two days. Monster Gas on South Main was robbed on Monday.