SYRACUSE -- What started as an alleged theft of a relatively minor item led to big trouble for a Syracuse man early Friday morning.
According to Syracuse Police, around 2:15 a.m. officers were called to a report of a robbery at the Rite Aid on Butternut Street. Police say they learned from the store manager that a hat had been stolen from the store. The manager told officers that when he confronted the suspect, he was hit with a belt before the suspect fled the store with the hat.
Police say they found the man, identified as 39-year-old Donald Coryea of Furman Street, just a few minutes later on the 800 block of North Townsend Street. Coryea was arrested and charged with felony third degree robbery, fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon, and second degree harassment. He was sent to the Onondaga County jail and scheduled to be arraigned in Syracuse City Court on Friday.
Police say the store manager was not injured.
