19-Year-Old Arrested in Springs Liquor Store Robbery

Less than 48 hours after a man made off with cash from a robbery at the Springs Wines & Liquors on Saturday, East Hampton Town police made an arrest.

East Hampton Town police said John X. Tracy III, 19, who lives on Kings Point Road in Springs, was charged with first-degree robbery, a felony, on Monday.

He was pulled over in a 2004 gray Dodge Ram pickup truck while driving on Norfolk Drive in Springs after leaving his house on Monday morning around 9:50 a.m. He is being held overnight and will be arraigned in East Hampton Town Justice Court on Tuesday.

The robber was caught on video surveillance footage at the store. Detective Lt. Chris Anderson said the video, along with witness descriptions, and tips from the public, helped develop Tracy as a suspect. He has no criminal record, according to the detective. 

Police released still images from the video to the public on Sunday with the hopes someone would recognize him, though Anderson declined to comment whether he was identified. 

Detectives said he took about $1,500 from the cash register at the store at 839 Springs Fireplace Road after confronting the clerk on Saturday at about 4:50 p.m.

He threatened the use of a gun while demanding money, though he never displayed a weapon, police said. He was not armed when stopped Monday morning. "We are proceeding under the notion that he was armed," Anderson said. 

Police are executing search warrants. 

After taking cash from the register, Tracy fled west on foot along Fort Pond Boulevard toward Three Mile Harbor Road. Anderson said Tracy did use the pickup truck as a getaway car. Though the truck is registered to someone else, he is known to drive it regularly, Anderson said. 

Police said the investigation is continuing and would not comment further. Anyone with information that may assist police are asked to call 631-537-7575. All calls will be kept confidential.