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"Our detective unit is very active on these cases and are following very good leads," the Facebook post said. "The Newtown Police has the absolute confidence that these cases can and will be resolved in the near future. Thank you everyone for your patience and support."
In the first case, two men armed with handguns robbed the Citgo gas station at 151 S. Main St./Route 25 at about 10:30 p.m. Friday, police said.
The two suspects, each armed with a gun, stole cash from the register, police said. No injuries were reported.
In the second case, two men robbed the Red Roster Liquor store at 113 S. Main St. at gunpoint, set it on fire and painted swastikas on the back door at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, forcing the owner to jump out a window to escape, police said.
When officers arrived, the rear of the building was on fire, said Newtown police Sgt. Aaron Bahamonde. Officers entered and assisted the fire department in extinguishing the blaze with fire extinguishers, he said.
A store's owner said two males had entered and one man requested help in finding an item, police said. The second one, brandishing a firearm, walked the owner to the counter and took a large amount of cash from several night receipts, police said.
The suspects fled toward the rear of the store, starting a fire before going out a back door, police said. The owner smashed the front window to flee the burning building, police said.
The two suspects were described as tall white males dressed in dark clothing, police said.
Upon searching the building and surroundings area for suspects, with the assistance of a State police K9, officers saw a racial slur and two swastikas painted on the rear door of the store, police said. The owner said the markings were not there before the robbery and blamed the suspects, police said.
The Newtown Police Department's Patrol Division and Detective Division are investigating the incident with assistance from the State Police Department's Major Crime Unit and the Fire Marshal's Unit.
Anyone with information on the robbery, vandalism and fire at the liquor store or on the armed robbery at the gas station is asked to call the Newtown Police Department at 203-426-5841.
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