Police: Robbery at Knifepoint Leads to Car Chase from North End to Southie

The following information was supplied by the Boston Police Department. Charges listed do not indicate convictions.

A mugging at knifepoint turned into a car chase from the North End to Southie.

Boston Police responded to a report of a robbery at knifepoint at about 12:20 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 6.

The caller reported that he was walking in the area of Clinton Street and Surface Road when a man armed with a knife approached him, put the blade to his throat and demanded that he throw his wallet and phone on the ground. The victim complied, and the suspect picked up the wallet and phone and got into the passenger seat of an SUV and fled.

According to the report, the suspect ran up behind the victim and grabbed him in a headlock, knocking him to the ground. The suspect then pulled out his knife and demanded the victim’s backpack. At this point, a friend of the victim tried to intervene, but the suspect shifted his attention toward him and threatened him with the knife.

A grey Mazda Tribute pulled up to the scene and the driver told the victim to do as the suspect said. The victim put his wallet and phone on the ground and the suspects took off down Congress Street to Atlantic Avenue. A MassDot truck was parked near by, and the driver tried to signal to the Mazda that they went the wrong way down a one-way street.

As the responding officer broadcasted the description of the vehicle, another officer saw the same car driving to endanger on Congress Street. The officer followed the Mazda onto Dorchester Street, crossing Summer Street without stopping for the red light and turned into a restricted entrance of the U.S. Post Office South Postal Facility.

The driver then headed down Summer Street toward the Fort Point Channel Bridge and turned down Melcher Street. Officers lost sight of the car for a moment, but found it parking on Necco Court.

An officer conducting a traffic detail in the area recognized the car from the description and contacted dispatch to let police know that this vehicle may have been involved in an armed robbery in Everett.

As officers approached the car in Necco Court, the saw two men on foot heading toward the Harbor Walk. Officers caught up with the driver, but the first suspect continued to run up a flight of stairs and turned right onto Summer Street. The suspect ran down A Street, heading toward South Boston. Officers were in position at the bottom of the stairs and were able to catch the suspect.

Officers searched the driver and found the victim’s credit card. Officers brought the victim to A Street to identify the suspects. The victim was able to identify the driver but couldn’t identify the first suspect because he was attacked from behind.

Officers charged Alex Bilodeau of 15 Heritage Lane, Leominster with robbery. Bilodeau was also issued a citation for negligent operation, one-way street violation and a red light violation. 

Lamar Collins of 538 Westminster Hill Rd., Fitchburg was charged with street robbery with a knife.