2 Charged In Attempted Robbery At Convenience Store: Police

GUILFORD, CT — A clerk at the Boston Post Road Mobil gas station and convenience store suffered minor injuries after they wrestled a man who police said was trying to rob the store of cartons of cigarettes. The alleged thief ran to a waiting car, police said, and it sped away. But officers in Branford and East Haven joined in to help stop the car and detain two people who were later charged by Guilford police.

At around 8 p.m. Thursday night, police got a call about an attempted robbery at the Mobil On The Run, located at 1164 Boston Post Road. Police said the clerk reported a man came into the store and tried to take cartons of cigarettes from behind the counter. The clerk tried to stop the man "and a brief struggle ensued."

The man took off from the store, jumped in the waiting car and at it fled "at a high rate of speed," according to police.

Investigators got surveillance footage of the attempted theft and getaway and shared it with nearby police departments, including Branford and East Haven.

By 10:30 p.m., East Haven police had taken into custody Clinton Edwards, 40, who police would charge with second-degree robbery and criminal attempt to commit sixth-degree larceny. Also taken into custody was Rachel Petrosino, 32, who police said was driving the car. She was charged by Guilford police with conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny.

Edwards was held on a $10,000 bond and Petrosino was released on a $5000 bond.

"The Guilford Police Department extends its gratitude to Branford Police Department and East Haven Police Department for those respective agency's assistance in this incident," said Guilford police Det. Sgt. Kurt Fasulo.