Suffolk police arrest suspect in holdup after five-hour standoff

SUFFOLK

A stickup outside a holiday party late Wednesday night prompted an hours-long standoff between a man and police, which ended with a surrender shortly before first light on Christmas morn.

Michael Anthony Smith, 25, was taken into custody on robbery, attempted robbery and firearms charges about 5:45 a.m. Thursday, about five hours after police arrived outside a home he was visiting in the 400 block of York St. -- and outside of which was parked a truck matching the description of that used in the earlier holdup.

No injuries were reported.

Police said the episode began about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, as two people left a Christmas party on Battery Avenue. As the pair prepared to pull away in their vehicle, they were approached by a man they both recognized, who asked to speak with them.

Once in the vehicle, police said, the man allegedly drew a handgun, demanded the victims empty their pockets, and fled with $150 to $175. He was reportedly seen leaving the area in a black pickup truck with a broken window.

About 90 minutes later, a police sergeant on patrol noticed a similar vehicle on York, a few blocks east of the robbery. A responding detective interviewed the resident of a nearby home, who at first insisted she knew nothing about the truck or its driver, but later said that the man was in a bedroom.

Police cleared the woman and her children out of the residence and called in the department's Crisis Intervention Response Team, which eventually arrested Smith.