Suspect arrested in Corinth robbery

KENDUSKEAG – Surveillance video of a man getting gas before he allegedly put on a ski mask and robbed the Trade Winds Supermarket in nearby Corinth led to an arrest early Wednesday morning.

Police received an anonymous tip around midnight and three hours later arrested Jeffrey Graddy, 45, at his home in Kenduskeag, Maine State Police Lt. Wesley Hussey said Wednesday.

The District Attorney’s Office hadn’t filed any charges against Graddy as of Wednesday evening, but Hussey said police were considering a charge of Class A robbery, which is a felony.

He said police did not expect to charge Graddy with eluding an officer because there was no actual chase.

“There was no cruiser behind him with lights and sirens,” Hussey said.

Graddy was being held at Penobscot County Jail on $50,000 cash bail. He is expected to appear today at 3rd District Court in Bangor.

The gold Chrysler LeBaron Graddy drove from the supermarket Tuesday was parked next to his home in front of another car when police arrived around 3 a.m. Wednesday.

“The plate number was very, very close to a probable plate number, as well as other aspects of the vehicle that matched what was in the gas pump surveillance video,” Hussey said.

Graddy allegedly turned the rear license plate of the car around prior to the robbery, making it difficult for police to get a plate number.

Before allegedly entering the store, brandishing a dagger-like knife and demanding money from a cashier, Graddy had pumped about $25 worth of gas from the pumps outside the store.

While pumping gas, he wasn’t wearing the ski mask, so police were able to retrieve some grainy surveillance video that later was enhanced. The store’s co-owner said no gasoline was stolen because all refuelings have to be prepaid.

Police still would not say Wednesday the amount of cash taken in the robbery. “I can tell you that we got some of the money back. Not all of it, but we got some of it,” Hussey said.

He attributed Graddy’s capture to the public and news media.

When questioned by police, the Trade Winds cashier described Graddy as speaking broken English with an Hispanic accent.

“We have no indication that he tried to use an accent,” Hussey said, adding that Graddy has a slight southern drawl.

“He states he was very nervous when he went in,” Hussey said, adding that Graddy told police he may have stuttered when talking to the cashier.