Gas Station Robbery Suspect Connected to 2 Other Robberies: Police

Manchester police arrested a gas station robbery suspect who is also facing charges in Vernon for two other robberies.

Joseph Dennis, 32, of Rockville, was arrested in connection to a robbery at Best Gas Station at 134 Tolland Turnpike in Manchester that happened Sept. 25. The arrest comes amid a multi-town task force investigation into several armed robberies in towns in the Greater Hartford area, according to police.

"I am truly sorry this happened and I know better than this. I will fix this and do my punishment. I will also do everything I can to better myself so I won't mess up like this again," Dennis said in the court documents.

Vernon police also have obtained two warrants for his arrest in connection to robberies at the Rubia Mart and On the Way convenience stores in Vernon from late September. Police are waiting until he is arraigned on his Manchester charges before they arrest him on those other charges, Vernon police said. Officers arrested John Papin, 32, of Vernon, his suspected accomplice in the Rubia Mart robbery.

Vernon, Newington, South Windsor and state police are part of the task force investigating a rash of armed robberies in the region.

Manchester police charged Dennis with first-degree robbery, fifth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit those crimes in connection to the Best Gas robbery.

Police held him on a $250,000 bond and he is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 6.