Merrimack Valley

Store owner thought robber had bazooka N.H. man charged in three robbery attempts within a half hour

By Mark E. Vogler
Staff Writer
Published: June 25, 2008

LAWRENCE — Police said Steven Conde told them he used a cargo cover spool as a fake bazooka in an attempt to rob a grocery market yesterday.

That's how police said he began a string of three robbery attempts shortly before 2 p.m., which ended with his arrest about a half hour later.

Conde, 28, of 3 Joseph Road, Salem, N.H., was charged with three counts of armed robbery. He was being held last night on $50,000 cash bail and was due to be arraigned in Lawrence District Court today.

He only got to use the fake bazooka once. The spool is a cylindrical device upon which canvas cargo covers are rolled.

But it fooled Aguedo Gabin, the owner of La Familia Market at 95 Newbury, who told police he thought it was the real thing when he saw a man with a white plastic bag with a breathing hole over his head come through the front door of his store.

"He raised the bazooka and pointed it at me. I got scared and yelled while I held up my knife, Gabin, 47, recalled of the moment he frightened off the would-be robber by brandishing a butcher knife. Gabin said he chased the intruder out the door and grabbed the "bazooka" and stripped it away as the stranger sped off in his green Jeep.

The incident sparked several police reports about a man armed with a bazooka trying to rob grocery stores.

Even without his fake weapon, Conde later admitted to making two more robbery attempts in less than a half hour, police said.

He went into Tenares Grocery Market, at 41 Berkeley St., demanding money as he held a bag in his hand. But he left without any cash after a clerk ignored his orders.

But he said his threats to kill a female clerk in Carlos Grocery at 51 Myrtle St. worked. The clerk opened the cash register and he reached over the counter and took a handful of money, he told police. Conde claims he later threw the money out of his Jeep while on Park Street, thinking he was going to get caught. The store owner later told police the robber made off with about $300 in cash, including a black plastic bag containing about $150.

Police caught up with Conde's green Jeep in the parking lot of Big and Beefy at Broadway and Daisy Street. He was arrested without resistance, police said.

"When asked by detectives why he committed these acts today, Conde stated that he was very depressed after losing his wife and kids in a divorce," Detective Daron Fraser wrote in his report.

"Conde stated that he wanted to end his life today by robbing a store for money and purchase heroin so he can end his life by overdosing," the detective said.

Police Chief John Romero said Conde's family had reported him missing several days ago, but he was later found in a hospital. He was wearing a hospital bracelet at the time of his release.

"We've seen guys go on robbery crime sprees — but rarely within minutes of each other like he did. Within a half hour of the first one, police were all over the place looking for him. He seemed like a very desperate individual who certainly didn't think this thing out, and as a result, landed himself in jail," the chief said.

"My sense is, had this guy not been caught, he would have continued his crime spree, whether in Lawrence or some other town," Romero said.