The Suffolk County Police First Squad Detectives announce the arrest of a 36-year-old resident of a Kings Park Halfway House for a recent series of armed robberies of commercial businesses, most of which were fast food restaurants in the North Amityville area.

Anthony Benson, age 36, of 151 The Boulevard, Kings Park, was captured and arrested by uniformed police officers on November 10, after a brief pursuit. Benson resides at the NY State run community residence but apparently has ties to the North Amityville area where his mother resides.

The robberies began in July of 2005 and continued during August, September and October. In these incidents, the suspect typically entered the fast food restaurants wearing gloves and a mask and he was armed with a pistol. He vaulted the counter and demanded cash from the registers and safes within the store and then fled on foot.

The locations of the robberies were in Copiague, East Farmingdale, North Amityville, Lindenhurst and Deer Park. A task force of detectives, members of the First Precinct Gang Unit, crime Section and uniformed officers intensively patrolled and surveilled many locations within the precinct.

On November 10, at approximately 8:55 p.m., the suspect attempted to rob the Pizza Hut at 27 East Sunrise Hwy., Lindenhurst, but ran off after an employee escaped and called police. Benson then tried to rob the Gull Gas Station at 1000 Route 109, North Lindenhurst. An alert employee closed the bulletproof door and the suspect fled from that location too.

Two officers on patrol confronted the armed suspect who then dropped the weapon and fled on foot. After a brief pursuit, Benson was taken into custody and the loaded gun, a stolen .38 Caliber revolver, was recovered.

Benson was charged with nine counts of robbery 1st degree, two counts of attempted robbery 1st degree, one count of criminal possession of a weapon 3rd degree and one count of criminal possession of stolen property 3rd degree.

The locations of the robberies and attempted robberies are:

•Getty Gas, 1100 Route 110, East Farmingdale - July 1

•Taco Bell, 1981 Broadhollow Rd., East Farmingdale - September 3

•Wendy’s Restaurant, 220 Route 109, East Farmingdale - September 14

•KFC, 1700 Sunrise Highway, Copiague, September 16

•KFC, 1617 Deer Park Ave., Deer Park - October 12

•KFC/Pizza Hut, 1700 Sunrise Hwy., Copiague - October 12

•Taco Bell, 1981 Route 110, East Farmingdale - October 20

•KFC, 1617 Deer Park Ave., Deer Park - November 2

•ATM at Gull Gas Station, 1000 Route 109, North Lindenhurst, November 10

•Gull Gas Station, 1000 Route 109, North Lindenhurst, November 10

•Pizza Hut, 27 East Route 27, Lindenhurst, November 10

Benson was arraigned on November 11. This investigation is ongoing.