Officer Jake Whitley of the Waterville Police Department holds a light Saturday night as witnesses write their statements about a reported robbery at GameStop at 12 Waterville Commons Drive, off upper Main Street. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
WATERVILLE — A man who threatened to use a weapon robbed the GameStop store on Waterville Commons Drive on Saturday night, making off with an undisclosed amount of money, according to police.
The robbery was reported at 8:05 p.m. after a man reportedly entered the shop at 12 Waterville Commons Drive and threatened employees, Waterville Deputy police Chief Bill Bonney said Sunday morning.
Waterville police Officer Jake Whitley inspects the entrance Saturday night to GameStop at 12 Waterville Commons Drive following a reported armed robbery. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
“We responded to the call. The suspect had fled the area by the time we arrived,” Bonney said. “State police responded to assist. We cleared the building to make sure the suspect wasn’t still inside because employees had locked themselves in back because the suspect had made a threat to them.”
After police had scoured the building, they launched an investigation, according to Bonney.
Bonney said the suspect did not display a weapon during the robbery, but “there was a threat of a weapon.”
Asked if the suspect left on foot or in a vehicle, Bonney said, “We know that they fled — we still don’t know how, exactly, they fled the scene.”
GameStop is a video game, consumer electronics and gaming merchandise retailer with locations across the country, including four stores in Maine — Waterville, Augusta, Auburn and Bangor.
The store is located in a strip mall off Waterville Commons Drive that also includes a Starbucks and Sally’s shop. Waterville Commons Drive is off Main Street, near Governor’s restaurant and an off-ramp and on-ramp to Interstate 95.
A Waterville police officer stands in the rear doorway to GameStop on upper Main Street in Waterville on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
At the scene Saturday night, employee Brady Corson told a Morning Sentinel photographer the suspect wore a blue mask with a black hat to cover a beanie, but most of his face was covered.
Corson said a co-worker pulled him aside and said the person was going to rob the store.
The suspect started ordering them to open the drawer and safe or he was going to shoot and kill everyone, according to Corson.
Customer Chris Cranny was also inside the shop when the robbery occurred.
“The employees were heroes, in my opinion,” he said.
Police asked that anyone with information about the robbery call the Police Department at 207-680-4700.
Morning Sentinel photographer Michael G. Seamans contributed to this report.
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