Police arrest robbery suspect

PEABODY – During the early morning hours of Feb. 26 the Ampet Gas station at 139 Lowell St. was broken into. Employees discovered the crime at the opening of business for the day and immediately notified the police department.Patrol officers arrived and began an initial investigation in conjunction with the Peabody Police Criminal Investigation Division. Multiple pieces of forensic evidence, including a video surveillance photo, were collected and processed through various procedures including the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab.On March 5, an off-duty Peabody officer notified dispatch regarding potentially suspicious activity in the area of the Northshore Mall. A vehicle was subsequently stopped by Peabody officers and a patrolman noted one of the occupants had similar characteristics of the subject viewed in the robbery suspect photo.Collective evidence was analyzed and a Peabody resident was identified as a suspect: Michael Gauthier, 21, of 90 Endicott St. #3.An arrest warrant was issued for Gauthier for breaking and entering in the nighttime for felony, larceny over $250 and malicious destruction of property over $250.A search warrant was also issued for the residence of the suspect.At approximately noon on Friday, multiple Peabody officers and detectives executed the warrants at Gauthier’s residence; the suspect was taken into custody without incident.Gauthier will be arraigned at Peabody District court on Monday.