Police Investigate Robbery Suspect's Ties to Coin Theft

A Farmington man is facing charges after Avon police said he walked into a local store, implied he had a gun and demanded the owner fill a bag with all the silver he had.

Police arrested a 20-year-old man on Feb. 1 after he turned himself in on a warrant and charged him with first-degree robbery, a Class B felony, in connection with the incident. He was held on a $100,000 bond and appeared in Hartford Superior Court on Thursday.

Police said he told them he implied that he had a gun but did not take one out at the scene. Upon further investigation, police determined he didn’t have a gun.

Avon police said he entered the on Jan. 27 and put a paper bag down on the glass counter at the Old Avon Village coin collection store inscribed with a note that said, “I have a gun. Give me all your silver.”

William Guzzi, Sr., who has sold silver and gold collector coins at his store since 1977, said he immediately called the police and the man ran out.

“They did an excellent job,” Guzzi said regarding police response.

Officers are looking into the man’s possible ties to another incident involving the theft of at least $400 in silver coins from Eagles Nest on Jan. 18. One coin was recovered from a pawnshop, Lt. Kelly Walsh, spokeswoman for the , said Friday.

Guzzi said the suspect came into his store to buy coins and left to take out cash from the bank when he found out credit cards were not accepted. The man came back with an envelope supposedly containing the payment, Guzzi said, put it on the counter and left. The envelope had scrap paper inside of it, according to Guzzi.

While he expressed relief that police found a stolen Oregon Trail commemorative coin from his store, he awaits the return of at least 25 stolen silver coins.

“I don’t know if I’m getting them back,” Guzzi said.

Editor’s Note: If you have any questions about this arrest, contact Avon Patch Editor Jessie Sawyer at 860-356-6339 or by email at Jessie.Sawyer@patch.com.