Four suspects are in custody and police are searching for two others Thursday afternoon after an armed robbery in North Andover led to a large police response and car chase that morning, according to police.
North Andover police responded to multiple reports of an armed robbery at Milos Joyeria — a jewelry store on Route 125 — shortly before 10:30 a.m., North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray said during a press conference Thursday afternoon. Officers soon noticed the vehicle the suspects were said to have fled in and tried to pull it over, but the driver did not stop.
The vehicle then pulled behind a building on the road, and the suspects got out and got into another vehicle, Gray said. The vehicle then drove north on Route 125 erratically and at a high speed.
As the suspects were reported to be armed, police pursued them onto I-495, Gray said. The vehicle soon got off the highway at the Marshall Street ramp and crashed.
The suspects then fled the vehicle on foot, and four were taken into custody, Gray said. Five suspects were reported to have been part of the robbery, but police believe there may be a sixth suspect who acted as their driver.
North Andover, Lawrence, Methuen and State Police, as well as the FBI and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office were searching for at least one more suspect as of 3:15 p.m., Gray said. There have been reports of them being spotted in the woods near the scene.
“As you can see, we have a a massive police presence. We’re staged. We have perimeter set up. We have canines. We have drones, and we’re doing what we can,” he said.
Gray would not say whether or not the suspect or suspects still at large were still believed to be armed. No injuries or shots fired were reported in connection with the incident, but one school went into lockdown and students were dismissed early.
Authorities are still investigating the incident and have not identified the suspects. No further information has been released.
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