Accused Peabody book store robber pleads innocent

SALEM – A Salem felon accused of robbing Borders Books and Music in Peabody last year then burning a car in Salem and robbing a pet store of cash at gunpoint remains held without bail.Raymond K. Wallace, 34, last known address of 1 Courageous Court, Salem, entered his plea Wednesday morning in Salem Superior Court to a rash of indictments concerning three sets of charges.Wallace pleaded innocent to masked armed robbery, buying and receiving a stolen motor vehicle, burning a motor vehicle, masked armed robbery, two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon, use of body armor in a felony, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, burning personal property, possession of ammunition without a license, six counts of a felon in possession of a firearm, being a habitual offender as well as four counts of carrying a firearm without a license and three counts of possession of a large capacity firearm.Judge Howard J. Whitehead agreed to set no bail on Wallace at the joint proposal of the prosecutor and defense.The charges began on Dec. 23 when police say Wallace robbed Borders Books and Music in Peabody and then burned a stolen vehicle in Salem on Technology Way, off Swampscott Road.Then, three months later, on the night of March 16, Wallace is accused of robbing PetSmart on Traders Way, off Highland Avenue in Salem.A PT Cruiser, believed to be the getaway vehicle, was found burning on Technology Way, the same location where a car used in the December Borders holdup was found. The car, police theorize, was stolen.Police arrested him a few days later outside his rented condo. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and had handguns in the truck of a rented car.On April 4 police said they found a series of firearms, including three large capacity weapons, following a search.He is scheduled to be back in court on June 24 for a pretrial conference.Assistant District Attorney A.J. Camelio is prosecuting all three cases for the state.Wallace was paroled in 2003 after serving six to 10 years in state prison for a series of burglaries, according to court documents.