A Suffolk County grand jury recently returned a 10-count indictment charging a Mattapan man with a rash of armed robberies throughout the holiday season in Boston’s Back Bay and South End, including two for which he wasn’t previously charged, said Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.
Preston Jackson, 44, faces arraignment in Suffolk Superior Court early next month for the charges, which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Jackson is currently held on $95,000 cash bail.
Jackson was charged with six offenses in early January following his arrest by Boston Police. During an extensive grand jury investigation led by Assistant District Attorney Amy Galatis of Conley’s Senior Trial Unit, prosecutors developed additional evidence linking Jackson to additional robberies on December 23 and 24, for which he hadn’t been charged.
“From every source – whether it’s witness testimony, surveillance video, or the assailant’s own notes – the evidence paints this defendant as a one-man crime wave,” Conley said.
A pattern became clear when looking at the robberies, Conley said. Jackson apparently selected retail stores and cafes with large, plate glass windows facing the street. Each cashier at the victimized establishment was in his/her mid-20s or younger, and each location was robbed after dark. While inside the establishments, Conley said, Jackson was scrupulous in not touching anything.
Jackson is now charged with the following incidents:
1. A December 18 robbery at the Finagle-A-Bagel on Boylston Street, in which he made off with about $600;
2. A December 21 robbery at Chemistry on Newbury Street, in which he made off with about $600;
3. A December 23 robbery at Footstock on Newbury Street, in which he made off with about $285;
4. A December 24 robbery at CVS on Longwood Avenue, in which he made off with about $200;
5. A December 26 robbery at Dependable Cleaners on Newbury Street, in which he made off with about $230;
6. A December 27 robbery at Darque Tan on Huntington Avenue, in which he made off with about $115;
7. A December 29 robbery at the Starbucks on Brookline Avenue, in which he made off with an unknown amount of cash after handing a note stating “Give me the money and no one gets shot,” which the barista assumed was a coffee order and read aloud to her co-worker; and
8. A January 3 attempted robbery at Bon Bon on Massachusetts Avenue that was defused when a quick-thinking clerk pointed out the multiple security cameras in the establishment and told the assailant that robbing the store would be a really bad idea.
Just as previous victims had, the cashier on duty during the final incident called police after the suspect left the store and gave a detailed description of the man who robbed her. Responding to her call, Boston Police arrived moments later, searched the area, and soon spotted him near the Hynes Convention Center MBTA Station.
As he was being taken into custody, Jackson allegedly dropped a note reading, “Give me the money quietly and no one will be shot.” It was that note that he allegedly passed to the final victim but took back after she convinced him not to rob her store.
The December 23 and December 24 robberies were linked to Jackson after his arrest and arraignment in Boston Municipal Court. Employees of those establishments were among the 18 separate witnesses to testify during the grand jury investigation.
Conley said the law allows for armed robbery charges even though no witness saw a gun in Jackson’s hand.
“The use of notes threatening gun violence in these cases plainly supports the charges,” he said.

HILL HOUSE, a nonprofit community center serving over 2,000 families in downtown Boston, is hosting its first-ever GreenFest community day on Thursday, March 5, from 3 to 6 p.m. Hill House is located at 127 Mt. Vernon Street in Beacon Hill. This event is free and open to the entire community.
From solar energy and sustainable living to power pedaling to the three R’s of recycling, families and community members of all ages are invited to participate in eco-friendly activities and have the opportunity to learn about renewable energy, eco-responsibility and their interdependence with the environment from local “green” businesses. The event promises to be a fun-filled and inspirational day for all.
Hill House encouraged local partners to join them in educating the neighborhood on "going green". Boston Organics, an organization dedicated to supporting local farms and fair trade practices, generously donated fruit for the day's event. In addition, businesses such as Metro Pedal Power, a bicycle rider delivery service, and Nexamp, a business dedicated to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions, will be available with hands-on displays, information and fun facts. To further promote recycling, Waltham-based Preserve, will collect #5 plastics, which are not recycled in most communities, as a part of its Gimmie 5 initiative.
Kids will enjoy activities such as eco-friendly arts projects, seedling plantings and a chance to learn about recycling through an interactive, fun, and educational presentation by TLC Recycles, a recycling education company that specializes in teaching students and residents how to recycle at home and in their school. Participants come away with practical, hands-on knowledge of how to reduce, reuse and recycle in their everyday surroundings.
The sixth grade class at the Advent School, a non-religious independent elementary school on Beacon Hill, finalized their "Green House” project and volunteered to present their findings. Their project, called “Greenton,” is made completely from recycled items such as boxes, egg cartons, cups, and is complete with houses, city hall, bike rental kiosks, windmills and water mills for energy Students will be on hand to discuss their work and answer questions on alternative ways to make urban living more eco-friendly.
It is Hill House's mission, through quality programs, collaborative partnerships and volunteer support, to build and foster a strong sense of community and improve the quality of life for residents of all ages. Since its founding over 40 years ago, Hill House has provided thousands of families with access to creative, athletic and social programs including music and art for tots; baseball, soccer, karate and ballet for kids; social events for tweens; and dinners for local seniors, all while fostering a community in the city. In addition to programs, community members gather at fun, free, annual events such as the Pancake Breakfast, monthly meals for seniors, kids Halloween and Valentine’s Day parties, and much more. Visit www.hillhouseboston.org for more information about Hill House’s programs and events.

Just beware …

E-mails among neighbors were flying last week as news of the armed robbery of Bill Knowlton outside his home on Monday night became known in the neighborhood.
Fortunately, Bill wasn’t hurt and lost only $6 and his Blackberry.
In the 1970s, there was a movie “Death Wish” starring Charles Bronson, who went looking to be mugged and then was always able to best the muggers. That was only in the movie, though.
A victim can only relate to the eerie effect of time moving slowly as the robbery scene unfolds. What seems like minutes only takes a few seconds to happen.
No one likes to feel powerless. No one likes to feel like an easy mark and just hand over the money. We like to think that we are the character Charles Bronson portrayed in the movie. However, being passive is exactly what experts tell us to do in this type of situation.
Make no mistake - times are bad and getting worse. Crime will increase as the economy continues to tank. This increase in crime in our neighborhood can be partly explained by the decrease in crime on the Common, which didn’t disappear but moved to adjacent neighborhoods. Downtown and Copley Square saw a rise last year in robberies. Beacon Hill will also experience an increase in crime as has the West End, where three people have been assaulted in the last week.
The good news is that police presence in our neighborhood will increase and hopefully catch these thieves. The other good news is that these thieves usually return to the scene trying to get new victims, which makes the apprehension of these muggers almost assured.
In the end, even if these muggers are caught, we urge all residents to look at the tips on page 1, on how to avoid being a victim. We also urge all residents not to act like Charles Bronson, because you will lose and could possibly lose more than just a few dollars in the process.