SIDNEY - Sidney Police arrested Harun A. Spence, 45, no address provided, April 27 and charged him with first-degree robbery, fourth-degree grand larceny, first-degree criminal use of a weapon and second-degree menacing. The arrest stems from an April 26 report of a robbery at Smiley’s convenience store at 17 West Main Street, Sidney.
Police reported a male entered the convenience store wearing a black and purple wig, a blue Oneonta Yellow Jackets hooded sweatshirt and pink slippers; displayed a handgun; demanded money from a store employee and left the store with a large amount of cash, headed south on West Main Street. When the suspect made it to Sherman Avenue, the wig, slippers and hooded sweatshirt were discarded.
The suspect ran south through residents’ backyards to Adams Street where a vehicle that was occupied by at least one other person was parked and waiting for them, police said. The suspect entered the vehicle and it traveled west on Adams Street, made a left turn onto Union Street, then a right onto Delaware Avenue and left the village.
With the assistance of New York State Police, a Sidney Police Department press release said, Spence was taken into custody without incident on April 27 and a firearm and other evidence was recovered as he was taken into custody.
Spence was transported to the Delaware County Jail, held for centralized arraignment.
The investigation is ongoing, police say, and additional charges may be filed.
New York State Police and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the case.
