Salem Police Nab PetSmart Robber; Suspect Allegedly Stole Car From Danvers

Police arrested a man in connection with Wednesday's Salem  and authorities say there is a strong possibility the same man robbed a Peabody Borders in December.

Raymond Wallace, 33, of 1 Courageous Ct., Salem, was arrested at his home at gunpoint just after midnight Thursday after police said he robbed  on Traders Way in Salem just before 10 p.m.

"When the manager was closing, locking up, he [Wallace] appeared and pointed a gun at him [the manager] and told him to get back inside," Lt. Conrad Prosniewski of the  said. 

Wallace got away with an undisclosed amount of cash and got into a PT cruiser, which was a stolen vehicle out of Danvers, police said. 

After traveling to Technology Way, police said the vehicle was set on fire and the suspect fled in another vehicle.

Prosniewski said a burned out car was also found in Salem on Technology Way after the Peabody Borders robbery. 

"We had him as a suspect on other robberies," Prosniewski said. "[The suspect] in the Christmas[time] robbery at Borders in Peabody had a very, very similar M.O." 

Police said they found a battering ram, which is "a homemade concrete tube used to batter doors," a sledge hammer, bolt cutters and gas cans by Wallace's car on Courageous Court.

Authorities said Wallace's parole officer was notified and a warrant issued.

Officers, including a member of the detective division and three member of Salem's special response unit, "staked out and waited for him [Wallace] to get home," Prosniewski said.

When Wallace returned home, he was seen taking clothes out of the trunk. Authorities said he was wearing a bulletproof vest, which they saw him remove.

Police drew their firearms and Wallace was taken into custody.

Authorities said they found two guns in the car Wallace had been in.

Wallace was arrested and police are seeking to charge him on one count of masked armed robbery, two counts of carrying firearms without being licensed, two counts of possessing firearms with altered serial numbers, unlawful possession of ammunition, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, use of body armor in committing the robbery and use of a firearm during a felony. 

Prosniewski said Peabody police are "very interested" in Wallace as a suspect for the December robbery.

Police are also looking into his connection to other area robberies.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and Salem Police will continue to work with other agencies.