News Nearby: Two Armed Robberies in Three Days Prompts Store Closing

Each Saturday, Melrose Patch will run a round-up with links to stories from surrounding communities that are of interest to Melrosians.

MALDEN—The owner of a downtown convenience store said he's likely to close shop after 12 years in business this week, following he said traumatized his nephew and raised questions about the store's viability in the area. 

The - just blocks from Malden High School and Malden Public Library on downtown Main St. - was , one of whom punched a young cashier in the head as an accomplice threatened him with a knife. 

The employee, owner Dharam Jain's nephew, was victimized again last Tuesday when another .

MEDFORD—Two women face charges stemming from offering sexual services at Medford massage parlors, according to Medford Police. Baojuan Shi, 49 of New York City, and Simone Santos, 39, of Malden were both arrested Thursday and charged with sexual conduct for a fee, police said.

Santos was also in the country illegally, police said. Shi worked at Mixue Spa at 397 Main Street, while Santos worked at Lavish Spa at 407 Mystic Ave., the release said. Citizen complaints led police investigate the spas, police said.

STONEHAM—For nearly four decades serving the Commonwealth as a police officer,  Chief Richard Bongiorno will be calling it a career.

When Bongiorno turns 65 in May, he is required by state law to retire.

Bongiorno was among a small selection committee tasked with finding a qualified candidate within the department to fill the void he'll ultimately be leaving upon his retirement after 39 years in the policing business.

Rather than doing an external search, the town opted to conduct an internal hiring process to find the next police chief, according to Bongiorno. And, after conducting several interviews, the committee tabbed Lt. Jim McIntyre as the "chief designee" who'll likely be sworn in by the Board of Selectmen in late May or early June.

WAKEFIELD—Wakefield Police detectives arrested two individuals who police say were caught in the act of selling Percocet in Wakefield on Thursday.

Police said that Brooke Cuoco, 21, of Danvers, MA, and Todd Ferrante, 33, of Peabody, MA, caught their attention for suspicious behavior around 7 p.m. on Thursday. Police said the two were sitting in a green Pontiac parked on Valley Street in Wakefield making phone calls and looking around nervously.