WESTBROOK, Maine — A man is behind bars for allegedly robbing a store and the employees are describing a frightening experience.
Art’s Variety workers in Westbrook say their place is normally known for food but recently the store has a reputation for getting robbed.
Police say the store has been robbed three times in the last few months and two of the robberies happened just last week. The most recent robbery happened on Friday.
Susan Cairns and Amber Lee both work at Art’s Variety and they were there when it was robbed on Friday. Police say Shawn Boivin of Gorham walked into the store. He demanded cash and cigarettes and kept his hand in his pocket.
“A guy came in and I looked behind me and I thought we were going to get robbed,” Cairns said.
Lee added, “I was just thinking of my loved ones, if I was ever going to see them again.”
Officials say Boivin didn’t show a weapon and at first Cairns didn’t want to hand anything over. “The last time he said, ‘If you don’t want anybody to get hurt, give me the money,’ and that’s when I gave him the money.”
Employees called 911 and gave a description. Police say they spotted Boivin minutes later driving near the Westbrook Arterial. Officers pulled him over, found the stolen money and cigarettes, and then made the arrest. “I’m glad he did get caught. There’s a lot of peace of mind around here now,” Cairns said.
Matt Brown, an Art’s Variety customer, added: “Hopefully now people won’t think it’s so easy to get away with it.”
Employees now keep pepper spray behind the counter. They hope things will get back to normal.
Investigators say Friday’s robbery is similar to last Saturday’s. No other arrests have been made and no other charges have been filed.
Police say the investigations are ongoing.