METHUEN — A homeless man was arrested last night after police said he held up a liquor store and threatened to shoot the clerk if he called police.

Leonard D. Lee, 24, was captured just minutes after he robbed A & B Package Store at 161 Pelham St., police said.

He allegedly entered the store around 9 p.m. and distracted the clerk by asking where he could find a $200 bottle of Hennessey. Instead, he grabbed two bottles of Moet champagne, which cost $38 a piece, and two bottles of tequila valued at nearly $100 and bolted.

Minutes later, Lee, whose last known address was in Lawrence, was arrested on Pelham Street a short distance from the store and charged with armed robbery, larceny of property valued under $250, threatening to commit murder, and unlawful possession of ammunition, police said.

While he did not have a gun on him, police said Lee was carrying a single round of .357 ammunition and a buck knife. But since he allegedly threatened to shoot the clerk, police were able to charge him with armed robbery.

After the liquor store was robbed and police were called for help, a description of the robber was immediately broadcast on the police radio. Patrol officers soon found Lee, who was wearing a gray sweatshirt and black and red baseball cap, as the clerk described.

He was taken into custody without a struggle. The champagne and tequila were later found hidden under the Route 93 overpass bridge, police said.

Police said they expected to hold Lee without bail overnight. He'll be arraigned tomorrow in Lawrence District Court.

The armed robbery remained under investigation last night by officers Jeff Smith and Jamie Moore. Detective Richard Pilz and Officer Jeff Brouck assisted with the arrest.