Man wanted for Texas armed robbery arrested on Martha’s Vineyard

Police in Massachusetts arrested a man on Martha’s Vineyard this week who was wanted for an alleged armed robbery in Texas earlier this year. 

Brian Covington, 29, and another person donned masks and forced their way into an apartment in San Marcos, Texas, in February at gunpoint, according to Massachusetts State Police. They allegedly unplugged the apartment’s wifi connection and stole multiple items. This included about 60 pairs of high-end shoes, cellphones that belonged to the victims, a PlayStation 5, and pieces of expensive jewelry, police said. 

Footage from a doorbell security camera was used by authorities in San Marcos to identify the suspects. Soon after, police in a nearby town told San Marcos investigators that suspects matching the description of Covington and the other person committed an armed robbery outside a club. One shot was fired during that incident, police said. 

Police determined that Covington then fled Texas to Florida, before traveling to New York City and finally Martha’s Vineyard. State police troopers worked with the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, Oak Bluffs Police, and members of the United States Marshals Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force to try to find Covington. They developed areas of interest in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven, police said. 

State troopers flew to Martha’s Vineyard early Wednesday morning. They joined local police detectives in conducting surveillance on Pequot Avenue in Oak Bluffs. At around 10 a.m., police saw Covington walking toward a rooming house. As they approached, Covington ran into a house at 20 Pequot Ave. and up a flight of stairs, police said. Officials believe Covington had been living there. 

Police ran inside and arrested Covington without further incident. He was brought to Dukes County Jail and is being held without bail pending rendition to Texas.