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May 17, 2008

State Police capture pair wanted in Vermont armed robbery

By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG

PLATTSBURGH -- Local State Police have captured a man and woman who were allegedly involved with an armed robbery in Vermont Thursday morning.

In broad daylight, Chester F. Birmingham, 30, of Patten, Maine, allegedly strolled into the Swanton Rexall Drug in Swanton, Vt., and demanded OxyContin.

Video surveillance caught Birmingham allegedly wielding a knife during the robbery.

After the robbery, Birmingham allegedly fled the store with four bottles of the strongest OxyContin painkillers and left the area in a loud older-model white car with Maine plates.

Vermont officials said the drugs have a retail value of about $4,000, but could net about $10,000 on the street.

At some point after the 11:30 a.m. robbery, police said, Birmingham and an alleged accomplice, Jessica L. Hall, 27, of Belfast, Maine, headed to New York.

Working with the Swanton Vermont Police Department, local State Police were able to apprehend Birmingham and Hall at a Rouses Point apartment Friday.

Officials said their capture was a result of information developed by Swanton police during the robbery investigation.

State Police said the pair were arraigned in the Town of Chazy Court and committed to the Clinton County Jail without bail.

It was unclear Friday when they would be taken back to Vermont to face charges in connection with the robbery.

No additional information about their arrests was available Friday night.

avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com

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