Potato chip bandit pleads innocent

SALEM – A Lynn man who denied in court Monday that he tried to commit armed robbery at the 7-Eleven Store on Route 1 in Peabody earlier this year, but instead stole a bag of chips remains in custody.Eric L. Davis, 27, of 182 Henry Ave., pleaded innocent at his arraignment in Salem Superior Court to charges of confining and putting in fear, intimidation of a witness and larceny in a building – crimes that could net him a life sentence in state prison.Judge Howard J. Whitehead set Davis’ bail at $10,000 as jointly recommended by the prosecutor and defense, but left the door open for a bail review at another court date.In the meantime, Davis will have to come up with $10,000 cash in order to get out of the Middleton Jail pending his trial.Assistant District Attorney Michael A. Patten said the charges stem from an incident on New Year’s in Peabody.It was just before 10 p.m. when a man, later identified as Davis, walked into the 7-Eleven Store at 23 Newbury St. wearing a black sweatshirt and wielding what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun.He jumped over the counter and tried unsuccessfully to open the store’s cash register, then fled on foot after he grabbed a bag of potato chips and reportedly warned the clerk not to call police or he would come back and kill him.Peabody police officers Michael Nary and Richard Rose and Sgt. Richard Callahan responded to the scene and tracked Davis to a room at the Holiday Inn where they found him in one of the rooms under the covers of a bed.Authorities also retrieved a black sweatshirt and a pellet gun, believed to be the weapon used, from the motel room.A witness later identified Davis as the robber.The incident was captured on the store’s surveillance tape.His next scheduled court appearance is April 14 for a pretrial conference.