Southport News Robbery Suspect Arrested after Pursuit

[Editor's note: Arrest information is supplied by the Fairfield Police Department. It does not indicate convictions.]

Fairfield police arrested a Bridgeport man today following a robbery reported at Southport News on the Post Road.

Just before 2 p.m., officers were dispatched to Southport News for the third robbery reported in two days within the town of Fairfield. According to the store clerk, cash and a cell phone were stolen. The clerk said the suspect was wearing a black ski mask, black jeans, black gloves, and a camouflage jacket and threatened to kill the clerk with a gun. The suspect, however, did not display a gun or any other sort of weapon, and fled with the cash and phone eastbound on the Post Road in a four-door gray vehicle.

A Fairfield officer spotted the suspect vehicle exiting I-95 on Commerce Drive. The officer attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop, but the suspect allegedly disregarded the officer's direction and fled into Bridgeport, engaging officers in a vehicle pursuit and endangering the lives of others and the officers.

The suspect continued driving onto Maplewood Avenue and then onto Poplar Street, where he reportedly abandoned the vehicle and engaged officers on a short foot pursuit.

Police detained the suspect, identified as Joshua Santiago Yard, 29, of Grand Street in Bridgeport, with the assistance of Bridgeport police.

He was charged with first-degree robbery, third-degree larceny, reckless endangerment, fifth-degree larceny, and interfering with a police officer. Yard is being held in lieu of a $150,000 bond.

According to the report, Yard has a history of incidents in Fairfield and the investigation continues as police try to determine his involvement in other Fairfield and Bridgeport cases.

Police believe Yard may be connected to an attempted robbery made at Andros Diner and a robbery at Cumberland Farms on Kings Highway East early Monday. He was reportedly spotted riding a bike on Tunxis Hill Road at 2:34 a.m. Monday questioned by police at 2:34 a.m. Monday, shortly before the robberies were reported. He did not have any contraband or stolen items on him at the time, according to the report, and was released.