West Hartford auto parts store employee injured during armed robbery

A man was arrested in connection with a reported armed robbery at an auto parts store in West Hartford on Tuesday, police said.

Just after 2:40 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the Advance Auto Parts at 443 New Park Ave. for a report of an armed robbery involving a firearm, according to the West Hartford Police Department.

During the robbery, an employee sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

According to police, emergency dispatchers were told a male suspect left the scene of the robbery on a bicycle heading north on New Park Avenue.

The suspect was located by officers near the intersection of New Park Avenue and Merrill Street and was taken into custody, police said.

According to police, the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Luis Pagan of Chicago, Illinois, allegedly was in possession of a facsimile firearm.

Police said they recovered an undisclosed amount of money that was stolen during the incident.

Pagan was taken to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. Upon his release from the hospital, he was processed at the West Hartford Police Department and charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree breach of peace, sixth-degree larceny, fifth-degree larceny, third-degree criminal mischief, second-degree criminal mischief, risk of injury to a child, second-degree assault, unlawful restraint, illegal use of a facsimile firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia and interfering with an officer.

Pagan was held in lieu of $250,000 bail pending his arraignment on Wednesday in Hartford.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the West Hartford Police Department at 860-523-5203 or use the anonymous tip line at 860-570-8969 or email at whpdtips@westhartfordct.gov.