Photo L-R:Officer Devin Schneider and Detective Sergeant Stephen M. Jones

Two Somerville Police Officers were among fifty officers who were recognized for outstanding acts in 2018. Detective Sergeant Stephen M. Jones and Officer Devin Schneider received the Irish American Police Officers Association, Investigative Award at their 20th Annual Awards dinner held last evening in Malden. The Citation for their award, shared jointly with five Boston Police Detectives, read as follows.

“On July 3, 2018, police received a report of an armed robbery with a firearm at the M & M convenience store on Main Street. Somerville Police Officer Devin Schneider was dispatched to the call, but was aware of a serial robbery suspect from Somerville Police crime bulletins that had been recently linked to over 23 armed robberies in the metro Boston region. Four of those robberies took place in Somerville. Surveillance video also showed a black Mercedes in close vicinity to where the robberies were taking place.

While responding to the call, Officer Schneider spotted a black Mercedes traveling away from the scene of the M & M robbery, and he pulled behind the Mercedes with his blue lights and siren activated. Another officer also arrived on scene.

The Mercedes pulled out of a line of cars waiting to turn left and crossed over McGrath Highway at a high speed.

Officer Schneider radioed the license plate number of the Mercedes to dispatch officers and began pursuing the vehicle with the other officer on scene. Out of concern for public safety, the officers soon ended their pursuit of the Mercedes as the vehicle reached an estimated speed of over 90 miles per hour.

Somerville Detective Stephen Jones responded to the scene of the July 3rd armed robbery at the M & M convenience store and obtained video and still photos of the incident. Police also obtained a description of the suspect.

Detective Jones then began coordinating with Boston Police Detectives who were already investigating a robbery pattern involving five armed robberies that took place between March 19 and June 27, 2018 at the time of the July 3 M & M robbery.

Boston Police Detectives Stephen Morash and David Juba, under the supervision of Boston Police Lt. Detective Charles Wilson and Boston Police Sgt. Detective Michael Talbot responded to the residence of the owner of the Mercedes, who was located by her license plate number that was obtained by Officer Schneider. Upon the Detectives’ arrival, the owner of the vehicle confirmed that the Mercedes belonged to her.

She consented to a search of her apartment related to the ongoing robberies and, after seeing a photo of the suspect, and stated the suspect could possibly be her boyfriend, and provided his name.

On July 4, Sgt. Detective Talbot located the black Mercedes in Charlestown. Detectives watched the motor vehicle for a period of time, but no one attempted to retrieve the Mercedes. The vehicle was seized pending a search warrant.

Boston Police Sgt. Detective Paul McLaughlin, assigned to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center also assisted in the investigation of the multiple robberies and obtained additional surveillance video of the suspect traveling near the scenes of multiple robberies. Police were able to locate and charge the suspect with several armed robberies by means of a firearm while masked.

As a result of their efforts, Boston and Somerville police were able to clear a series of robberies in the greater Boston area.

For their coordinated investigation resulting in the arrest of a dangerous felow who had terrorized his victims, Officer Devin Schneider, Detective Stephen M. Jones, Lt. Detective Charles Wilson, Sgt. Detective Michael Talbot, Detective Stephen Morash, Detective David Juba, and Sgt. Detective Paul McLaughlin are hereby awarded the Irish American Police Officers Association Investigative Award”.

The association also awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously, to Yarmouth Police Sergeant Sean M. Gannon and Weymouth Police Sergeant Michael C. Chesna who were both killed in the line of duty in 2018. The families of both officers were present to accept the award.