PORTLAND, Maine — A Biddeford man was arrested and charged with robbery after two Portland convenience stores were robbed Wednesday night.
John Wedge, 29, was located by the Biddeford Police Department after a statewide alert was issued for his arrest.
According to the Portland Police Department, the Maine Smoke Shop at 804 Washington Avenue was robbed just before 6 p.m. and the Scrub a Dub Car Wash at 1185 Forest Avenue was robbed around 8:30 p.m.
Police said Wedge was wearing a mask when he robbed the smoke shop and was not wearing a mask when he robbed the car wash. In both cases, police said he threatened the clerks and demanded money.
The clerk at the Maine Smoke Shop refused to hand over the money and police said the clerk was assaulted by the suspect before he fled. The clerk at the Scrub a Dub Car Wash turned over an undisclosed amount of cash.
The identity of the suspect was determined after the second robbery and the statewide alert was issued. Biddeford Police arrested the suspect just after 1 a.m. on Thursday.
Wedge is charged with robbery in both cases and is currently being held at the Cumberland County Jail.
Anyone with information that could help police solve this crime is asked to call (207) 874-8575.
