Suspect Charged in Dec. 13 Armed Robbery

A mask that only partially covered a Bethlehem man’s face led to his arrest and his admission to police that he and a mother and daughter pulled off an armed robbery of a convenience store that netted $7,200 in cash and $450 in cigarettes.

Court records say a customer inside the South Side store during the Dec. 13 robbery was able to identify the suspect, David Capelles, 52, because his mask did not cover the area from his forehead to the bottom of his nose. She told police she recognized him as “one of the drug addicts that hangs around her neighborhood.”

The records do not say if the mother and daughter have been found or charged.

Capelles, interviewed by police on Dec. 23, said he went to the Noor Inc. Mini Mart at 418 E. Fourth St. with the mother and daughter. He said the mother was armed with a BB air gun, while he was armed with a baseball bat. Once inside, according to the records, they demanded money while the daughter grabbed cigarette cartons from behind the counter.

The clerk handed the money—$7,200—to the mother, Capelles told police. The three left in his vehicle. He said they used the money to buy marijuana and alcohol.

Police say the incident occurred around 8:30 p.m.

Capelles’ account differed slightly from that of the store clerk, who told police there were two men with baseball bats and a female armed with a hand gun. He said all three were wearing ski masks and dark clothing. Once they got the money, the clerk said, the female told him if he called police she would come back and shoot him.

Capelles, of the 300 block of State St., was arraigned Dec. 23 by on-duty District Judge Jackie Taschner of Palmer Township on charges of robbery, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy.

He was taken to Northampton County Prison after failing to post 10 percent of $50,000 bail.