Billerica – On Monday, January 22, 2018 at approximately 12:55 AM, the Billerica Police received a 911 call from the clerk at Petrolex Gas Station, located at 80 Chelmsford Road (Route 129), Billerica for a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred at the store. The suspect, described by the clerk as a black male, approximately 5’8” in height, with a “stocky muscular build”, wearing a black hat, black face mask, blue jacket and blue jeans, had just robbed the clerk of an undetermined amount of cash inside the 24 hour gas station. The suspect reportedly placed his hand inside his jacket pocket while pointing it towards the clerk in a manner to suggest he had a weapon and ordered the clerk to turn over the money. After fleeing the store on foot, the police were notified via 911 and responded to the location, arriving within two minutes of the call.

While the officers on scene conducted a preliminary investigation, to include a suspect description, it
was learned that Billerica Police Patrolman Thomas Huff had observed a suspicious vehicle within close proximity to the Petrolex Gas Station approximately twenty minutes prior to the armed robbery. As a result of that previous observation, Officer Huff was able to provide detectives investigating the incident with valuable leads that subsequently lead to the identification and arrest of a suspect in the City of Lowell.

At approximately 4 AM, with the assistance of Lowell Police Department, Detectives from
Billerica located and subsequently arrested Craig Hawkins, 57, of 15 Veterans Way, Lowell MA and charged him with the Armed Robbery of Petrolex Gas Station. Mr. Hawkins will be arraigned at Lowell District Court later today on the above charge. As always, all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Any additional questions should be directed to Deputy Chief Roy Frost, 978-215-9653.