Armed Robbery on Monday Prompts Lockdowns at Plymouth-Canton Elementary Schools

Three people are in police custody after an armed robbery of a Verizon store in Canton on Monday and a search for the suspects that led to lockdowns at four local elementary schools.

Four Plymouth-Canton elementary schools—Hoben, Bentley, Field and Eriksson—went into lockdown Monday shortly after Canton Police responded to a call at about 11 a.m. reporting an armed robbery in progress at the Verizon store at Ford Road west of Morton Taylor Road, police officials indicated in a news release.

According to the news release, police were notified three suspects armed with at least one semiautomatic assault rifle had fled south on Oakview in a silver vehicle. 

A patrol car in the area intercepted the vehicle at Oakview and Saltz roads, near Flodin Park, and disabled the vehicle, police indicated in a news release. The suspects then fled on foot and were quickly found hiding in a storm cellar adjacent to a house on Willard and were taken into custody, according to the news release.

The district lifted the lockdown shortly after noon on Monday after the arrests, according to P-CEP Interim Director of Community Relations Mary Holaly.

"Our first priority is student safety," Holaly said.

Once the schools were secured and internal staff were notified, the district notified all parents in the district by sending out an automated phone call. 

"We're really grateful for our relationship with Canton Public Safety," Holaly said. "They do a great job and they always keep our children's safety in mind."

Patch readers on Monday echoed Holaly's sentiments.

"C.E.," a Patch reader, commended officers on quickly making the arrest.

"Glad I live in a community where emergency services respond quickly and work hard to keep the bad guys off the streets," the user wrote.

Patch reader Jacob wrote in a story comment that he worked at a Sprint store down the road and was "shocked" by what had transpired Monday morning. 

"I'm glad everyone was safe and no one got hurt," he wrote. "It could have very easily been us."

Patch editor Rebecca Jaskot contributed to this report.