Cops: Elderly Man Nabbed Leaving Store He Just Robbed

A 65-year-old man robbed a Norwalk gas station at 2:40 a.m. Thursday, then initially ignored police who, guns drawn, ordered him to halt, Norwalk police said.

The dramatic incident — involving a suspect old enough to be a grandfather of most robbers — ended with the old man getting tasered, police said.

Norwalk police gave this account (an accusation not proven in court) of the incident:

A silent alarm at 2:40 a.m., Thursday from the Shorehaven Mobil gas station at 291 East Ave. was received by Norwalk dispatchers. Police were sent to the scene.

Officers Garrett Kruger and Kelly Haddy arrived and saw a man, later identified as Jose Rodriguez, 65, of Stamford, leaving the store through the front door. A store clerk ran to the door and told the officers that the old man had just robbed the store with a gun.

The officers drew their guns and ordered Rodriguez to halt. He refused and began walking away quickly, with his right hand tucked in his waistband.

Officers again ordered him to stop and show his hands — in fact, they instructed him to do so numerous times, but he wouldn’t comply.

Police then saw him jerk his right hand out of his waistband, then throw a small, black handgun in the snow nearby. The officers then tried to take him into custody, but he fought them. Police then tasered him and got him under control.

It turned out that the gun was a black CO2 pellet gun. Police found cash, cigarettes, lottery tickets and lighters — all taken during the robbery — on Rodriguez.

Because he was tasered, Rodriguez was taken to Norwalk Hospital for an evaluation. No one was injured during the robbery itself.

Rodriguez was charged with first-degree robbery, possession of a facsimile firearm, assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and sixth-degree larceny. He was held initially on $250,000 bond.