Cops: Ronkonkoma man arrested in BP station robbery

A Ronkonkoma man was arrested Sunday night and charged in a robbery at a BP gas station on Veterans Highway in Bohemia, after a police dog tracked him to a garage not far from the station, Suffolk County police said.

The police dog, Blue, and his handler, Canine Section Officer John Mallia, tracked Jonathan Fitzsimmons, 21, of Southport Street, Ronkonkoma, to the detached garage on Roosevelt Avenue after the robbery at the station at 10:20 p.m. Sunday, police said.

Police said Mallia and Blue also located the money taken in the robbery.

According to police, Fitzsimmons entered the BP station wearing a hood and a scarf and threatened to harm the attendant if he was not given money. The attendant handed over cash, police said, and Fitzsimmons fled.

Fitzsimmons was charged with one count of third-degree robbery. He was held overnight and is scheduled for arraignment Monday in First District Court in Central Islip.