Serial bank robber pleads guilty to robbing four Boston businesses, two at knife point

BOSTON — A guilty plea was filed in federal court on Friday for a Boston man accused of robbing several businesses while on supervised release for robbery charges in New York.

33-year-old Akeem Lahens pleaded guilty to four counts of affecting commerce by armed robbery. He was initially charged in August 2023.

Lahens was wanted on several warrants for armed robbery with a knife and kidnapping in relation to a robbery on April 26 and another one at the Cricket Wireless on Centre Street on April 27, according to Boston Police.

Boston 25 News obtained video of some of the violent robberies. The clerk in one of the stores described the incident as “very scary” and urged for more security in the area.

Days after the robberies at the cellphone stores, the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office says Lahens attempted to rob a Dunkin’ on Dorchester Avenue. Lahens walked into the coffee shop around 8 p.m. on May 4 and ordered a sandwich and a drink before removing two large knives from his backpack. He then ordered one of the workers to open the register, telling them if they didn’t, he would kill them. The three employees were then shuttled into the store’s bathroom.

At the time of the armed robberies, Lahens was on federal supervised release for a 2021 conviction in the Southern District of New York of five counts of robbery, for which he was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

He will have a sentencing hearing on April 24.

The charge of affecting commerce by armed robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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