https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/policereports/article/Norwalk-fender-bender-leads-to-robbery-charges-699000.php
Norwalk fender-bender leads to robbery charges
John Nickerson, Staff Writer
NORWALK -- Three men involved in a parking lot fender-bender were arrested on robbery charges early Sunday morning for allegedly forcing the man who hit their car to pay them for the damage by withdrawing money from a nearby ATM.
James Thompson, 21, of 5 Bayne St., Norwalk, Dwayne Hines, 32, of 5 Jefferson St., Norwalk, and Larry Hamilton of Baltimore, Md., were each charged with second-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery. They were each held in lieu of $5,000 bond each.
Police were called to West Avenue just after midnight Saturday to investigate an accident in the parking lot used by the Rhythm dance club at 731 West Ave.
When police arrived they were told that three men were making another man take money out of the nearby People's United Bank ATM on Belden Avenue, Sgt. Lisa Cotto said. When police went over there they found Thompson, Hines and Hamilton at the ATM with another man.
The fourth man, who walks with a limp and has had a traumatic brain injury, told police that he backed into the car owned by one of the three men.
The 28-year-old Norwalk resident said he immediately called police to report the accident. The three became aggressive and upset after seeing the damage and demanded that he pay for it right away, Cotto said.
The man told them he had called police, but Thompson, Hines and Hamilton said they did not want to wait and got over to the nearest bank, Cotto said.
The man told police that he felt threatened by the three men and felt as through they had strong-armed him into withdrawing money from his account. If the police did not show up, he did not know what would have happened to him, he told police.
At first, the men told the driver they wanted $400 for the damage, but the repair price went up to $1,000 cash when the four got to the ATM, the man told police. The victim had pulled only $100 out when police arrived.
Staff Writer John Nickerson can be reached at john.nickerson@scni.com or 203-964-2320.