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Images of the suspect from a security camera.

Pittsfield Police Seek Info on Armed Robbery

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police are looking for the public's assistance in identifying a suspect involved in a recent armed robbery.
 
Lipton Mart gas station located at 320 West Housatonic St. was robbed shortly before 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, by a man brandishing a black handgun. 
 
The subject left with an undisclosed amount of cash along with a few other items. He is believed to have come from the Barker Road area and left heading north on Britton Street toward the train tracks.  
 
The suspect is described as a white male standing 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 and wearing gray ripped jeans, black sneakers, a blue "Patriots" short-sleeve hoodie over a red long-sleeve hoodie with white paint stains on both sleeves, red gloves, a white face mask, dark sunglasses, gray hat with an oval shape on the front and possibly wearing a fake nose of some type. 
 
Those who live or have a business in the area of Barker Road at West Housatonic Street, Britton Street, Merriam/South Merriam Street, Catherine Street or the Jason Street area near the train tracks are being asked to check surveillance cameras to see if the suspect is on them.  
 
 Anyone with information regarding this incident, with video footage of a possible suspect, or who know the whereabouts of the suspect, call the Detective Bureau at 413-448-9700. You have the option of reporting an anonymous tip through "tip411" here.

Tags: armed robbery,   robbery,   

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Two Men Found Guilty of Marijuana Trafficking

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Monday, May 6, Yebin Mai, 32 of Staten Island, NY and Dem Wu, age 52 of Staten Island, NY, were found guilty by jury of their peers in Berkshire Superior Court.
 
Yebin Mai was found guilty of two charges: Marijuana Trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds and Witness Intimidation. Dem Wu was found guilty of Marijuana Trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds.
 
According to a report, on July 30, 2020, State Police responded to a request for assistance from the Eversource Electric Company. The emergency dispatcher stated that two Eversource linemen were attempting to fix an electrical problem when they had a confrontation with individuals at 72 Jackson Road, Savoy. The residence belonged to Bin Huang after he purchased it in 2017 for $200,000 cash.
 
When state troopers arrived, the linemen stated that they responded to a report from a resident at 72 Jackson Road, Savoy claiming that power was fluctuating. When the linemen arrived at the house, they observed severely damaged wires and insulators leading from the roadside poles to the residence. When the Eversource linemen approached the house a man came out to meet them. The man, later identified as Yebin Mai, spoke limited English; therefore, communication between the Eversource linemen and resident became difficult. The linemen tried to explain that they would need to turn the power off to conduct a safety check of the electric meter and surrounding electrical connections. Mai became agitated. He handed the linemen an envelope filled with money later determined to be $600. The linemen attempted to return the envelope multiple times, but Mai would not take it. The linemen decided to leave the property. They called the police and waited for them to arrive, stated a report.
 
A trooper and Eversource supervisor arrived on the road at the end of 72 Jackson Road's driveway. A short time later, Mai drove down the driveway and attempted to leave in a pick-up truck with New York plates. There were two other passengers in the truck, including Dem Wu.
 
The trooper instructed Mai to stop and turn off the truck which he obeyed. All the individuals returned to the residence so the linemen could complete their inspection.
 
In a police report, the following items were observed at and around the house:
  • 4 separate electrical meters in poorly constructed boxes on the side of the house
  • Some melted wires and metal around the meter boxes (believed to be due to an excessive amount of energy being drawn through the wires)
  • Evidence of a small fire around one of the meter boxes
  • A smell of fresh grown marijuana (which grew once power was cut to the house and fans in the residence stopped running)
  • The sound of multiple fans inside the residence with no visible air ventilation system on the outside of the house
  • Windows with curtains drawn and boarded shut
  • A backyard covered in debris from a renovation, green planning pots, and large florescent light fixtures
  • Ring door cameras
  • A small path in the woods that ended in a pile of used potting soil and roots and stalks of freshly harvested marijuana plants

Additionally, Eversource reported that the monthly electric bill for 72 Jackson Road was approximately $10,000 per month, much higher than the average homeowner's bill.

The individuals on the property were questioned and ultimately allowed to leave. On July 31, 2020, Massachusetts State Police, including the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney's Office, and a member of the DEA arrived at 72 Jackson Road to execute a search warrant. 
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