Robber Reveals Tattoos; Police Have Suspect

GARDNER, Mass. -- A robber who revealed a little too much of his body art was being sought Tuesday after he and his tattoos were identified in surveillance photos, police said.

Police, who released the pictures taken during the robbery of the man and a tattoo of a large black cross on his left forearm, said they received calls from the public identifying the robber as David S. Chirco, 26, of Ashburnham, Mass.

Chirco, police said, went into a Shell Food Mart in Gardner wearing a hooded sweatshirt and grabbed money out of the register after buying a piece of candy Sunday.

During a short struggle, the store clerk was able to pull off the man's sweatshirt to reveal the tattoo of the cross, and seven or eight black letters running the length of his right forearm.

The surveillance tape showed Chirco hanging around the store for a time, waiting for other customers to leave before the robbery, police said.

Police have obtained a warrant charging Chirco with robbery. They said he has a prior criminal record.