ESSEX JUNCTION — A 14-year-old juvenile was arrested following an incident in Essex Junction on Friday.
A 51-year-old man from Essex told police that he had been approached by a juvenile holding a baseball bat along the bicycle path at around 6:50 p.m.
Police say the juvenile threatened the man with the baseball bat and demanded he give him his cell phone and its passcode.
The juvenile fled on foot without the man’s cell phone.
Essex police then received a separate call at 8:30 p.m from a 25-year-old woman from Essex who reported that she had been assaulted by a juvenile in the area of the Tree Farm on Old Colchester Road.
The woman told police that she had been approached by a juvenile with a baseball bat.
The juvenile demanded the woman give him her cell phone and passcode as well.
When she did not immediately hand over the phone, the juvenile struck her with the baseball bat.
Police say the juvenile stole her phone and fled the area on foot.
The woman was able to seek assistance at a nearby home where a call was made to the police.
The woman later went to the UVM Medical Center Emergency Department for treatment of injuries sustained during the attack.
Both parties provided very similar descriptions of the juvenile.
From the descriptions provided, Essex police narrowed the search and located a subject at a nearby resident who they allege was responsible for the assault and robbery.
Police say they recovered the stolen property and returned it to the owner.
The juvenile was arrested and transported to the Essex Police Department for processing.
He was released to his guardian with court-ordered conditions of release.
He is charged with assault and robbery.
Essex police say they will be increasing patrols in the area.
