Crime & Safety
Mass. Man Accused Of Cashing Stolen Check Connected To Exeter Robbery
Daury Rodriguez Contreras of Lawrence attempted to fly out of Logan after customs found warrant; check was stolen during EZ Mart incident.
EXETER, NH — A man from Massachusetts was arrested on an Exeter warrant trying to take a flight out of Logan International Airport and may be connected to the August 2022 EZ Mart robbery in town.
Daury Rodriguez Contreras, 20, of Lawrence, MA, was held as a fugitive after being arrested by Mass. State Police on Jan. 20. Exeter Police Chief Stephan Poulin said the warrant involved a stolen check from the EZ Mart robbery that investigators accused him of depositing in his own bank account. U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered Contreras had a warrant while he was scheduled to board a flight out of Boston.
State police confirmed the warrant and arrested him, Poulin said.
Find out what's happening in Exeterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Contreras does not face charges accusing him of participating in the robbery, which occurred around 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 16, 2022. Five people entered the store, located on Main Street, displayed a handgun and AR-15-style rifle, and fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.
“We do not yet know the extent of any involvement beyond the attempt to deposit the stolen check,” Poulin said, “but it’s possible that he could face additional charges as this investigation continues. This has been a very lengthy and complex investigation by members of our Exeter Criminal Investigation Division as it involves numerous suspects. Our detectives have invested many hours in this case and have worked closely with other agencies as they’ve tried to gather evidence and identify suspects.”
Find out what's happening in Exeterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Only one suspect has been charged — Kendry Rosa Ortega, 21, of Lawrence, MA, was indicted last fall by a Rockingham County grand jury on a robbery charge.
Contreras has a hearing on Jan. 31. Following the hearing, he will be formally charged with theft by unauthorized taking by Exeter police.
Anyone with additional information on the case is asked to call the Exeter Police Department at 603-772-1212.
Anonymous tips can also be made to Seacoast Crime Stoppers by calling 603-431-1199 or online at seacoastcrimestoppers.com.
Got a news tip? Please send it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
