State Police Apprehend Chicopee Armed Robbery Suspects

Today at 1:53 p.m., Chicopee Police advised the Massachusetts State Police of an armed robbery and attempted kidnapping that occurred on Center Street. A description of the suspects' vehicle and its occupants was relayed to area patrols. A State Police helicopter was in the area and, several minutes after the initial broadcast, observed a Ford Expedition fitting the description on Route 91 Southbound. This information was relayed to ground patrols.

At 2:03 p.m., State Police Lieutenant Herbert Brown was at a detail site on Route 91 Southbound by Exit 10 when he observed the Expedition. Lieutenant Brown, along with several other troopers at the site, attempted to stop the vehicle. The Expedition's driver tried elude the troopers. Several minutes later, the vehicle went by the Rock Rimmon auto parts junkyard, where it stopped and the occupants got out and tried to run away. Troopers and Chicopee officers were able to immediately capture two occupants of the vehicle. Two others fled into the junkyard. One was captured by troopers with assistance from the helicopter and one was located with the assistance of a State Police K-9 unit. Three loaded handguns were recovered at the scene - two in the car and one on the ground in the junkyard.

The suspects and evidence was turned over to the Chicopee Police Department.

Arrested were Jose Jimenez, 32, Ernesto Delgado, 52, and Roberto Cruz, 39, all of Reading, Penn., and Jesus Sierra-Ramos, 29, of New Britain, Conn.

No further information is available at this time. Please do not call the barracks directly. For more information about the armed robbery and attempted kidnapping, please contact the Chicopee Police Department.