Off-duty Lynn cop foils robbery

LYNN – An off-duty Lynn police officer is credited with stopping an armed robbery in progress Monday morning on a Washington Street sidewalk, police said.The suspect was later arrested and identified as Nikkolaus Mennefee, 18, of 26 Newhall St. #14, Lynn. He was charged with attempted armed robbery.Police say Patrolman Ralph Sirois was traveling in his personal vehicle westbound on Washington Street at about 11:45 a.m. when he noticed a thin black man with his hand in his jacket pocket, suggesting he may be armed, pointed at a short, 46-year-old Guatemalan man. The Guatemalan had both hands in the air and was backing away from the suspect, police said.Suspecting a robbery was in progress, Sirois parked his car on the side of the street and watched the incident unfold through his rear view mirror.Once it became clear that a robbery was happening Sirois jumped out of his car and walked up to the victim who began running up a driveway with another man. The victim had pulled out a cell phone as he told the off-duty officer, “Yes, he’s trying to rob us,” according to a police report.As the suspect began walking away, Sirois pulled out his personally issued firearm and police badge before yelling at the suspect to get down on the ground, police said.While the suspect began to comply with Sirois’ demands, Lynn Animal Control Officer Kevin Farnsworth happened to be driving by. Sirois flagged down Farnsworth and asked him to use his police radio to call for back up.Shortly after the suspect was taken into custody, the unidentified victim told police that Mennefee had robbed him before but that he never reported the crime to police.Lynn Police Chief John Suslak commended Sirois for his actions and said the officer was recently named “Officer of the Month.””That he was involved in an excellent arrest does not surprise me at all,” Suslak said. “Ralph, in general, is an exceptional officer. He consistently puts forth a tremendous effort here.”