Man Arrested After Allegedly Robbing Three Springfield Businesses at Gunpoint

SPRINGFIELD, MA — Springfield police officers have arrested a 31-year-old local resident following a fast-paced armed robbery spree that targeted three separate businesses in under an hour. The suspect, identified as Willie Duke, was taken into custody near the Six Corners neighborhood after attempting to flee from police during a traffic stop.

According to investigators, the string of robberies began in the afternoon when Duke allegedly entered a business brandishing a firearm and demanding cash from employees. Within the next hour, police received two additional reports of similar armed robberies at nearby establishments, with the suspect's description matching in all three cases. Local units immediately saturated the area in search of the suspect's vehicle.

A traffic stop was initiated on the suspect’s vehicle shortly after the third incident. Duke attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended by officers. Police recovered evidence linking him to the robberies, including a firearm matching the description given by witnesses. Duke has been charged with three counts of armed robbery, carrying a firearm without a license, and resisting arrest. He is being held pending his arraignment in Springfield District Court.