New Berlin police arrest so-called "Goodwill robber"

NEW BERLIN (WITI) -- Officials with the New Berlin Police Department say the so-called "Goodwill armed robber" has been captured.

Officials say the suspect is a man from Florida -- identified as Aldie Berrios-Velez.

Officials say the DNA he left on a crowbar found at the Goodwill store on Moorland Rd. in April matched DNA recovered at the scene of another armed robbery in the area -- at the Petco store in Greenfield.

According to police, in the Goodwill robbery, the suspect confronted two employees with a semi-automatic handgun on April 10th and demanded money. After receiving over $5,000 in cash, the suspect reportedly tied the employees up and locked them in an office before fleeing the scene.

The case was turned over to the F.B.I. since the suspect was from Florida, had a violent history and the gun he used in the robberies had the serial number removed.

The man has taken a plea deal in federal court. Berrios-Velez has admitted to the crimes, and is expected to spend over a decade behind bars.

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