Alleged Serial Gun-Wielding Robber Arrested

Stoneham Police have arrested a 19-year-old in connection with seven recent armed robberies in the area—including a Nov. 7 robbery at the Richdale convenience store on West Wyoming Avenue in Melrose—police announced in a press release on Thursday morning.

Taylor A. Goulding of Stoneham is charged with two counts of armed robbery while being masked and one count of attempted armed robbery while being masked for the three robberies that occurred in Stoneham on Oct. 30 at DB Mart, Nov. 1 at Sunset Tanning and Nov. 11 at C-Store.

In each of those robberies, the suspect was described as a white male, wearing a black ski mask, black sweatshirt, black pants, black gloves, black and white sneakers, and brandishing a black handgun, according to Stoneham Police.

That description matched the description of the person who robbed the DB Mart in Woburn on Nov. 2; the Dairy Barn in Winchester on Nov. 5; the Richdale store in Melrose on Nov. 7; and the Gulf gas station in Reading on Nov. 15.

On Wednesday with assistance from Wakefield, Woburn and Reading detectives, Stoneham Police detectives stopped Goulding's Toyota Corolla on Maple Street in Stoneham, according to Stoneham Police. While speaking with detectives, Goulding agreed to come to the Stoneham Police station for an interview, police said, while his car was towed from the scene for motor vehicle violations. 

During a search of the car, a black replica-style handgun and similar clothing used in the robberies were discovered, Stoneham Police said.

Leading up to Goulding's arrest, during the investigation of the seven robberies detectives developed a description of a vehicle which may have been involved.

On Nov. 17, a Woburn Police officer saw a car registered to Goulding that matched the description of the suspect vehicle, Stoneham Police said, and saw clothing inside the then-unoccupied car that appeared similar to those worn by the suspect in the robberies.

"Stoneham Police detectives, working in conjunction with detectives from the Wakefield Police, Woburn Police, Reading Police, Melrose Police and FBI Robbery Task force began to focus their investigation onto Mr. Goulding," the Stoneham Police press release said. "Significant resources from these cooperating agencies were brought together during the subsequent two week investigation and surveillance of Mr. Goulding."

Goulding was held overnight on $20,000 bail will be arraigned Thursday in Woburn District Court.