Community Corner

Since 2003, Three Avon Armed Robberies Pre-Date Recent Jackson Street Home Invasion

Police investigated other attempts in those years, as well, all of which were in or near businesses, not homes.

While the Dec. 18 Jackson Street incident was Avon’s only home-based armed robbery in recent history, police said there have been some robberies and attempted ones at or near businesses in the past 10 years.

Only a few of the incidents were armed robberies or attempts, but there were also cases where the perpetrators merely implied having weapons.

2012

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Most recently, police said Matthew Finucane, of Farmington, took $400 in collector's coins from The Eagles Nest in Avon Village Marketplace on Jan. 18, 2012 and then came back Jan. 27 for more. Police said he handed the storeowner a note demanding all the silver in the store and stating that he had a gun. The victim called police, so Finucane ran out. Ultimately, police determined he did not have a gun.

While police charged him with attempted robbery with the threat of a firearm, a judge reduced his charges and he pleaded guilty last August to second-degree threatening, first-degree reckless endangerment and fourth-degree larceny. He faces a year in jail if he does not successfully complete three years of probation with special conditions, according to the state judicial website.

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2003

Police never caught two masked individuals who threw a rock through the Dunstan Jewelers door and robbed nearly $59,977-worth of jewelry in May 2003, according to Lt. Kelly Walsh. The perpetrators threatened a store employee with a chrome-plated revolver. The stolen items were not recovered.

The Mobil gas station on the corner of Routes 44 and 167 was robbed twice later that year, according to Walsh. In October 2003, a man in his 20s took $500 in cash after indicating he had a gun but was not arrested.

A month later, another male showed a black handgun and stole $7 from the gas station store. Police arrested David Cochrane and Sean Ouimette as the perpetrators.

In 2004, Ouimette pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery with the threat of a firearm and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery for the gas station incident, according to the state judicial website. Cochrane also admitted to the latter.

Ouimette also burglarized Double Take, a former Avon consignment store now located in Canton, and was charged with sexual assault of a minor in another incident the same year, according to police records.

Both men faced jail time for their crimes and are out of prison.

2004

Police arrested David Gaskoski in 2004 after police said he implied he had a gun at the former Avon KFC where West Avon Pizza is now. He stole a purse, police said.

2005

In May 2005, Ian Campbell was charged with criminal attempt at robbery after police said he pulled a knife on anther person in the Big Y parking lot but took nothing. He pleaded guilty and served jail time.

2007

The Mobil gas station was hit again in May 2007, that time at knifepoint, according to Walsh. Two people were arrested who stole $372 in cash from there, she said. Their names were not available for release.


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