Crime & Safety
Couple Charged in Cell Phone Robbery
Information about the following incidents was supplied by the East Greenwich Police Department. An arrest does not indicate a conviction.
A Warwick man and his girlfriend are facing charges of attempted robbery after an incident last week. East Greenwich police responded to the girlfriend’s home at 28 Maplewood Drive on Feb. 6 at around 7:15 p.m. for a report of a disturbance.
Nicholas Hawes, 24, of 599 West Shore Rd. in Warwick allegedly robbed a man and woman outside his girlfriend’s house. The male victim told police that Hawes held a hunting knife to his throat and stole two cell phones before running back into the house. Due to previous encounters with Hawes, EG police knew his girlfriend to be Briana Joice Gemma, 23.
Police arrived at Gemma’s house and spent several minutes knocking on the door and calling the contact numbers on file for Hawes and Gemma. Eventually, Gemma opened the door, holding the two stolen cell phones. Police were able to then arrest both Gemma and Hawes. Inside the home, officers allegedly found the knife used in the alleged robbery on the living room sofa.
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Hawes faces three felony charges – first degree robber, conspiracy to commit first degree robbery, and violating a no-contact order. Gemma faces a felony charge of conspiracy to commit first degree robbery and a misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen goods.
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