Boston stepfather and son accused of staging armed theft at CAVA in Downtown Crossing

Keep in mind that report of an armed theft at CAVA in Downtown Crossing? It was apparently all a ruse.

A Charlestown stepfather and son are accused of staging the armed theft on the restaurant final month, in keeping with the Suffolk DA’s Workplace.

Scott Douglas, 37, and Nickolas Lao, 19, are dealing with larceny and conspiracy fees in reference to the alleged faux theft.

Boston law enforcement officials responded to an armed theft at CAVA, situated at 125 Summer season St., on Dec. 29 at 10:34 p.m.

Officers met with a retailer worker, later recognized as Douglas, who reported that he had been robbed at gunpoint whereas closing the restaurant for the night time.

Douglas initially instructed police that he felt a tough steel object being pressed in opposition to the again of his head, and observed a black AR-15 model rifle being held by an unknown male.

Douglas reported that the person led him to the secure behind the restaurant. Douglas gave the person all of the money within the drawers, a black deposit bag full of money, and a number of other rolls of cash from the secure, totaling about $1,800. Douglas then stated the person ordered him to face away whereas he ran out of the shop.

Douglas offered officers with an outline of the suspect. Whereas reviewing close by video footage, officers noticed a person with a totally completely different description enter the restaurant as Douglas opens the door, in keeping with the DA’s Workplace.

At 10:31 p.m., the person is seen leaving the restaurant and fleeing towards the MBTA Chinatown station at Washington and Boylston streets. Based mostly on video footage, the suspect was the one different individual contained in the restaurant or across the quick space on the time of the theft.

Assembly with officers a number of days after the alleged theft, Douglas reportedly offered statements inconsistent together with his preliminary assertion and video footage from contained in the restaurant.

Pictures of the unknown male had been distributed to officers within the space, and cops recognized the person as Lao.

Investigators then came upon that each Lao and Douglas are listed on the similar deal with in Charlestown. Lao is the son of Douglas’ ex-wife, with whom Douglas nonetheless resides.

Police sought and obtained arrest warrants for Douglas and Lao.

“We too often see employees who think they can fool police and their employers for their own illicit gain but end up fooling only themselves,” Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden stated in an announcement. “This concocted incident instilled fear in our community and used up police time and resources that could have been dedicated elsewhere.”