Two robberies within the span of five hours in Columbia had state police busy on Saturday morning.
The first incident happened at 1:16 a.m. on Saturday at the 7-11 gas station and convenience store on Route 66. State police from Troop-K Colchester and Detectives from the Eastern District Major Crime responded to the scene after an employee reported that a male suspect stole money from the cash register and threatened them with a small screw driver.
The suspect fled the store and then got into a waiting vehicle in the parking lot, which was last seen traveling west on Route 66.
Then, just five hours later, at 6:15 a.m., state police responded to a report of a robbery at the Dunkin Donuts on Route 6 in Columbia after an employee said that a male suspect took money from the cash register and fled on foot.
A state police trooper happened to be in the parking lot of the Dunkin Donuts at the time of the robbery and saw the suspect run past him with an employee in chase. The trooper got out of his cruiser and chased the supsect, ultimately apprehending and arresting him.
The suspect, Wayne Squier, 35, of Columbia, is facing several charges, including robbery, larceny, interfering with an officer, breach of peace and possessing drug paraphernalia. He is being held on $100,000 bond and will appear in Rockville Superior Court on Monday.
The previous robbery at the 7-11 is still under investigation and no suspects have been arrested.
