Two Fall River men arrested in Somerset armed robbery

SOMERSET — Chief George McNeil reports that the Somerset Police Department has arrested and charged two men with the armed robbery of a Family Dollar store yesterday.

Noberto Rocha, 32, of Fall River, was arrested this afternoon and charged with Armed Robbery, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Conspiracy to Commit a Crime. Rocha is expected to be arraigned Thursday in Fall River District Court.

Richard Correia, 45, of Fall River was arrested on Tuesday and was charged with Armed Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit a Crime. Correia was arraigned today in Fall River District Court.

At approximately noon on Tuesday, July 23, an employee of the Family Dollar store, 1133 Grand Army Highway, reported to Somerset Police that she had been robbed by two men, later identified as Rocha and Correia.

While fleeing from the store with multiple items, the employee attempted to approach the men in the parking lot to ask them to pay for the items. Rocha then allegedly lifted up the front of his sweatshirt and displayed the butt of handgun in his waistband. Both men then fled the area. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Through the subsequent investigation, Somerset Police detectives determined that Correia was one of the men involved in the robbery and placed him under arrest.

While continuing their investigation today, police identified Rocha as the second suspect and obtained a warrant to search his apartment at 333 William St. in Fall River.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. today, Somerset Police detectives, with the assistance of members of the Fall River Police Major Crimes Division, executed a search warrant at Rocha’s apartment and placed him under arrest.

In searching the apartment, officers located and seized the clothes both men were wearing during the robbery as evidence. No firearms were located in the residence.

The incident remains under investigation.