Summit man, accused of being Erie’s lollipop bandit, charged in more Dollar General heists

State and Erie law enforcement said they suspected the exact same human being was dependable for a string of retailer robberies, together with 4 that strike Greenback Basic places, in a around four-7 days span in Erie County beginning in late March.

Authorities have now billed the similar male with committing all of them.

Summit Township resident Christopher R. Zapolski, 33, currently in jail on fees in three of the heists, was arraigned Friday morning on expenses of robbing Greenback Normal suppliers in Summit Township on March 22 and in Greene Township on March 26.

Summit Township District Judge Brian McGowan established Zapolski’s bonds at $100,000 on each of the two new conditions after arraigning him on costs which includes felony theft and terroristic threats in each and every situation.

Zapolski was presently in the Erie County Jail on $325,000 in bonds in the other a few robberies he is accused of committing. He is charged in those people cases with robbing the Tops Welcoming Markets at 1520 W. 26th St. in Erie on April 3, the Dollar Standard at 3875 Zimmerman Road in the metropolis on April 7, and the Greenback Normal at 12674 Route 19 in Waterford Township on April 9.

In the Erie Greenback General robbery, investigators stated the suspect acquired a lollipop ahead of utilizing a gun to rob the cashier and fleeing with revenue and the lollipop.

In two of the Greenback Normal robberies investigated by state law enforcement, troopers claimed the suspect acquired cat food ahead of robbing the outlets.

The new instances

The Pennsylvania State Police, in legal problems filed Wednesday and Thursday, accuse Zapolski of stealing a few hundred dollars from the Dollar Common suppliers at 8214 Perry Highway in Summit Township on March 22 and at 8948 Wattsburg Street in Greene Township on March 26.

In the Summit Township scenario, troopers mentioned he advised a female cashier that he had a gun in his pocket and demanded all of the money from her dollars drawer. The cashier advised investigators that after using the income, the suspect reported, “I’m sorry for all of this,” troopers wrote in the legal criticism.

Story proceeds

In the Greene Township case, troopers accuse Zapolski of pulling a gun on a feminine cashier just after buying cat food stuff and telling her that he did not want to harm her, but required the cash from the hard cash drawer. The cashier told troopers the suspect apologized to her as he still left the store with the stolen cash, according to details in the criticism.

The apprehension

Erie and point out police investigators reported there had been similarities in each and every of the five robberies that led them to suspect the exact man or woman probably fully commited at the very least most of them. The similarities incorporated a white Audi that was suspected of becoming utilised as the suspect’s getaway vehicle, according to information in the criminal grievances.

On April 9, following the Waterford Township Greenback Standard theft, troopers who were responding to the shop noticed a white Audi traveling north on Route 97 at higher speed. An endeavor was built to end it, but a trooper shed the Audi following it turned on to Robison Highway, in accordance to data in the prison grievance submitted versus Zapolski in the scenario.

Chase prospects to suspect in keep heists Erie police imagine a Summit Township man charged with robbing a Greenback Typical keep in Waterford Township when getting

A condition law enforcement corporal later spotted the Audi along Route 97 and adopted it to a fuel station. When the corporal and other troopers went into the station, they ended up informed that a guy ran out a rear door, investigators documented.

State police impounded the Audi and found clothing the suspect wore during the Waterford Township theft in the trunk. Troopers later on apprehended Zapolski at a residence in Erie County, in accordance to state police.

Zapolski was charged on April 10 in the Waterford Township theft. He waived the charges he faces to courtroom at his preliminary hearing on Tuesday, according to on line court docket data.

Erie police billed Zapolski in their two robberies on April 11. He is scheduled to seem in court docket for his preliminary hearings later on this month.

Make contact with Tim Hahn at [email protected]. Adhere to him on Twitter @ETNhahn.

This write-up at first appeared on Erie Occasions-News: Robberies: Erie’s lollipop bandit billed in much more Greenback General heists