More On The Daring St. Albans Robbery Earlier Today

A St. Albans, Vt., man was arrested Friday night, accused of robbing Casey's Auto Repair Service. Police say Freeman Warren, 34, stole a cash register right off the counter.

Warren is facing a charge of petty larceny and a charge of criminal mischief. He's being held at Northwest State Correctional Facility. He is scheduled to appear in Franklin County District court Monday.

Casey Kivela, owner of the store, said when Warren came in Friday morning, he though t it would be for routine maintenance on his car. "Nothing suspicious about him because I'd seen him before."

But this time, police say Warren wasn't getting his tires changed like he claimed. Kivela told Warren he could fit him in, in about an hour, so Warren went to wait in the front office.

"The attendant invited him to have a cup of coffee, told him where the milk and sugar was," Kivela said.

Instead though, police say Warren helped himself to the cash register, when no one was looking. "Grabbed my cash register, cut the cord, and took off."

A witness says Warren ran out the door, into a crowded parking lot, threw the cash register into his minivan, and took off. "We didn't catch him but we knew who he was," Kivela said.

Tips from people who recognized him help St. Albans police catch up with Warren late Friday afternoon. Later, the cash register was found in the woods behind his home.

Kivela has already replaced the register, and put it in a spot a little more hidden. He says the crime, done in front of dozens of people if anything, was an act of stupidity.

"Stealing stuff other people worked for? There's nothing gutsy about that, that's cowardice," Kivela said.