Lynner indicted for small store robbery spree

LYNN – A Lynn man who told police officers near a crime scene that “I always run from the sound of sirens” was indicted in Salem Superior Court on Wednesday for a string of convenience store robberies off Eastern Avenue and Chatham Street that began in November.Michael Minihan, 49, of 53 Chatham St. #4, was charged by a grand jury on five counts of armed and masked robbery for four robberies, one involving two store employees. He was also indicted on one charge of assault with intent to rob, stemming from his attempted fifth robbery that resulted in his arrest.According to the indictments, Minihan allegedly robbed the Eastern Market, on the corner of Eastern Avenue and Superior Street, on Nov. 25 and Jan. 12; Norm’s Variety on Eastern Avenue on Nov. 27; and the Lincoln Market, at Chatham and Essex streets, on Dec. 19. Minihan was arrested after he also attempted to rob D & H Convenience, at Chatham Street and Oakwood Avenue, on Jan. 15.Minihan was caught by Lynn Police hiding underneath a parked van on Clarendon Avenue following a foot chase down Chatham Street. According to a witness, Minihan took off his mask while he was chased down Chatham Street by the store’s owner and the witness was able to see his face and later identify him. A large kitchen knife was found in the snow a few feet from Minihan.According to a police report, Minihan became disorderly and angry after being handcuffed at the scene and told police, “No one can identify me as being in the store, I didn’t rob the store.” Asked why he started to run down the street, Minihan responded, “I ran when I heard the sirens,” and when asked why he would run from the sirens, he replied, “I always run from the sound of sirens.”Once in custody and told that he was wearing identical clothing to the suspect in the video surveillance tapes from D&H Convenience, police said Minihan became uncooperative and told police that because the robber was wearing a mask it would be impossible to identify him. A black ski mask was later recovered from the parking lot behind the store and sent to a lab for DNA testing.On Dec. 18, Minihan was cited for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license while driving a red Buick LeSabre similar to a vehicle multiple witnesses described at more than one crime scene.The victim of the Lincoln Market robbery told police he believed the robber was a regular customer at his store, as he seemed familiar to him. When shown a photo array including Minihan, who lives a short distance away from the store, the victim told police he had followed Minihan after he came into the store recently and watched him drive away in a red car.Minihan refused to answer any questions about the knife, why he ran from police or why he was found hiding under a van. He did not appear at his original arraignment in Lynn District Court and has yet to be arraigned in Superior Court. He is being held on $20,000 cash bail.