On July 1, 2009 Brockton resident Licino Fernandes Lopes, age 22 of 11 Nye Square in Brockton was arrested in connection with an armed robbery that occurred at Gooseberry Island (Horseneck Beach State Reservation) on June 27th at approximately 5:45AM.  During the robbery two fishermen were next to the shoreline when the group of Cape Verde men approached them.  Some of the men began throwing rocks at one of the fisherman who had told them to stop.  The men did not stop and the fisherman was struck in the leg with a rock.  That person called out to a second fisherman who was not known to him and asked for him to call 911 for help.

Approximately five of the seven Cape Verde men focused their attention to the second fisherman who was 74 years old and attacked him while holding rocks.  During the attack the fisherman was robbed of his wallet with approximately $ 500 dollars in cash.  One of the men threw his empty wallet back at him after he removed the money.  The men ran from the area and entered two vehicles.  One vehicle was a red mini-van and the second vehicle was a white Toyota Camry.

The police were called and located the Toyota parked at the Rest Area on Rte 88 near the beaches.  Two of the men were inside the vehicle.  These men assisted the police in identifying six additional men who were present during the incident.  Officer Fernando Goncalves and Robert Reed along with detectives investigated the incident.  

Licino Lopes was arrested by members of the State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, along with the Brockton Police Detectives and the Westport Police.  He was located inside his girlfriend’s apartment in the Battles Farm Apartment Complex in Brockton.

One additional male and a sixteen-year-old will also be charged with the same offenses as Licino Lopes.  They will be charged with Armed Robbery, Assault and Battery on an Elderly Person, Assault and Battery Dangerous Weapon (stones), Larceny over $ 250 dollars and Intimidation of a Witness.  Four of the men will also be charged with Disturbing the Peace while Armed.  All of the men are from Brockton.  The incident remains under investigation.

-Information and Photo from the Westport Police Dept.