Arrest after man robbed, pistol whipped outside ATM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Springfield police quickly made an arrest after they say a man was robbed and pistol-whipped at a South End ATM.

Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney told 22News that John Rivera, 27, of Springfield was arrested less than two hours after the alleged crime.

According to Delaney, around 1:20 A.M., a 45 year-old man was in his car at an ATM at East Columbus Avenue and Mill Street, when another man began banging on his window. The man had a gun, and used the butt-end of it to smash the victim’s driver’s side window. He then hit the victim in the face with the weapon, and took the man’s wallet, cell phone, and prescription pills.

After the robber got away, the victim went to the police station to report what happened.

Delaney says that around 3:00 A.M., a patrolling officer found Rivera leaving an ATM on Island Pond Road. Police found that he was carrying the victim’s wallet, cell phone, and pill bottles. He was arrested and charged with three counts of receiving stolen property and malicious damage to a motor vehicle.

He also faces two counts of domestic assault and battery for a separate incident where he allegedly assaulted his mother and a male friend of hers.