Man arrested in armed robbery in woods off Spruce Street

Paul Brooks (Rochester Police photo)

ROCHESTER - Police arrested a man on Thursday in the armed robbery of another man in a wooded area on Spruce Street earlier in the day.

Paul Brooks, 30, no address given, was charged with armed robbery, being a felon in possession of deadly weapon, heroin and meth possession and resisting arrest.

Police got involved Thursday morning around 9:35 a.m. when they received a call for an armed robbery and learned that the victim was at the Cumberland Farms located on Knight Street.

The investigation revealed that the robbery actually occurred in the wooded area adjacent to Spruce Street where Brooks had allegedly brandished a knife and robbed the victim of personal items not identified by police.

The victim was able to get away from Brooks and ran to the Cumberland Farms on Knight Street where he called the police. Probable cause was developed to charge Brooks with armed robbery plus he was wanted on a probation violation warrant.

Later in the afternoon, information was developed that l Brooks was located behind Wyandotte Falls. Officers went to that area and spotted Brooks by the Cocheco River with a knife in his hand. Police say Brooks was told to put the knife down and come to the officers, but he turned and ran in the opposite direction.

A perimeter was established in the area of Congress and
Granite streets and K-9 unit Officer Keith MacKenzie and his bloodhound partner Gunner responded to begin a track.

The pair located Brooks hiding in the woods near the river where he was taken into custody without further incident.

Brooks was taken to Frisbie Memorial Hospital for a nonarrest related injury prior to being brought to the Rochester Police Department for booking. The probation violation was a no-bail warrant, and Brooks refused the services of a bail commissioner on the new charges. He was then taken to Strafford County Jail pending a later arraignment.