A 60-year-old man was found guilty Monday and sentenced to prison after the kidnapping two employees and robbing a Barnstable business in 2019.
On Monday, Lawrence Bland was found guilty by a Barnstable County jury of two counts of kidnapping, two counts of masked and armed robbery, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault, larceny of property over $1,200 and larceny from a building.
Three people, ages 17 to 21, were closing a businesses near West Main Street Hyannis when a masked man armed with a knife approached them, Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois said in a statement.
The business owner called 911 while watching via surveillance cameras. One of the people closing the business fled, officials said. The other two were backed into the property by Bland, Galibois said.
Bland ordered them to open the safe and give him all the money, the statement read. He then left through the rear door with the money. Officials were able to identify Bland through surveillance video footage obtained by the Barnstable Police Department.
Bland was sentenced by the Barnstable Superior Court on July 18 to up to 20 years in prison, followed by 5 years probation.
