Bethel Police Nab Suspects in Brookfield Masked Robbery

Two Waterbury men were arrested late Wednesday after a masked man attempted to rob the Dunkin Donuts on the southern end of Federal Road in Brookfield and made off with an employee’s purse.

At approximately 8:52 p.m. on Wednesday night, a man wearing a ski mask over his face ran into the Irving Dunking Donuts and demanded money from the cashier. No weapon was shown, according to police.

The suspect struggled with the cashier and stole her purse before fleeing in a vehicle operated by another person and parked in an adjacent lot.  A witness was able to provide a description of the getaway vehicle, which was broadcast to area police departments.

A Bethel officer on patrol spotted and stopped a vehicle fitting the description in the Stony Hill section of town.

A subsequent investigation by Brookfield and Bethel officers recovered the stolen property and resulted in the arrest of the accused robber, 21-year-old Dion Bernier, and his accomplice, 25-year-old Blerim Hodza, both of Waterbury.

Both were charged with larceny in the sixth degree, conspiracy to commit larceny, conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery in the third degree. They were held on $25,000 bond and arraigned in Danbury Superior Court Thursday morning.