Executive Summary
- Two teenagers were arrested following an armed robbery at Neighbors Mart in Manchester, Connecticut.
- Police utilized a drone with thermal imaging to track the suspects to a hiding spot near the Cheney Rail Trail.
- A K9 unit recovered a backpack containing a loaded AK-47-style pistol and a high-capacity magazine.
- Danny Rodriguez Jr., 19, is held on a $1 million bond facing charges including Possession of an Assault Weapon.
Manchester Police arrested two teenagers, including a 19-year-old Hartford man, following an armed robbery at a convenience store late Tuesday night during which a clerk was held at gunpoint. Authorities utilized advanced aerial surveillance technology to locate the suspects shortly after they fled the scene.
According to the Manchester Police Department, officers responded to the call at Neighbors Mart on Center Street at approximately 11:47 p.m. Investigators reported that surveillance footage from inside the store captured one of the masked suspects pointing a firearm at the employee behind the counter. The clerk, who provided a statement but requested anonymity, described the life-threatening nature of the encounter. “They tried to kill me, I think so. Very, very scared,” the employee stated, noting that he repeatedly ordered the suspects to leave before contacting emergency services.
Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement deployed a drone equipped with thermal imaging technology to canvas the area. Police stated that the drone successfully tracked two individuals running along the Cheney Rail Trail, approximately half a mile from the convenience store. Officers subsequently located 19-year-old Danny Rodriguez Jr. of Hartford hiding behind a dumpster.
A second suspect, identified only as a 17-year-old male from Manchester, was also apprehended. During a search of the vicinity, a police K9 unit located a backpack near the arrest site. Inside, officers reportedly discovered a loaded AK-47-style pistol and a high-capacity magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition.
Rodriguez Jr. has been charged with multiple offenses, including Robbery in the First Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Criminal Use of a Firearm, Possession of an Assault Weapon, and Possession of a Large Capacity Magazine. He is currently being held on a $1 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court on January 21. The juvenile suspect faces similar charges, including Robbery in the First Degree and Threatening in the Second Degree.
Investigative Outlook
The swift apprehension in this case underscores the tactical advantage provided by thermal imaging drones in municipal policing, particularly when tracking suspects through low-visibility corridors like rail trails. Additionally, the seizure of an assault-style weapon and a high-capacity magazine highlights the severity of the threat posed to public safety and commercial staff during such incidents. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
