Man Charged in Rochester Jewelry Store Robbery Was Area Soccer Coach
Kevin Papuga faces two counts of armed robbery in connection with the November incident at a downtown Rochester shop.
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One of the two men facing armed robbery charges in connection with a jewelry store heist in downtown Rochester was coach of a high school girls' soccer team.
Kevin Andrew Papuga, 22, of White Lake, was also an assistant coach in a regional youth soccer organization.
Papuga and Johnny Matthew Hall, 32, of Troy, were charged in connection with the Nov. 2 robbery of Antiques and Fine Jewelry by Pamela, police in Rochester announced this week. They say three men wearing hats, hoodies and sunglasses restrained a store employee with duct tape while robbing the store at gunpoint.
A third unnamed man is "cooperating with police" in connection with the case; he faces charges in Macomb County on an unrelated narcotics charge, according to Rochester Police Chief Steve Schettenhelm.
Papuga was a former coach of the junior varsity team at Milford High School in the Huron Valley School District.
According to Huron Valley Communications & Community Relations Director Kim Root, Papuga has not been affiliated with the school in over a year.
Root said that Papuga, who was never an official employee, was coaching as contracted staff until a full-time school employee took over the team. “He was never a Huron Valley school employee and even though he worked as a coach and obviously represented the school district, that hasn’t been the case for some time now,” Root said.
Papuga is also listed on the roster of the coaching staff for Vardar Michigan, a regional youth soccer organization. A Vardar representative confirmed that Papuga was an assistant but said he was not on the organization's payroll and did not coach his own team.
Papuga turned himself in. He was arraigned March 4 in 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills on two counts of armed robbery; he posted bond and was released.
Papuga's attorney, Stanley Dobry, did not want to comment on his client or the case, but said "we'll address it in court." Papuga is set to appear before District Court Judge Nancy Carniak for an exam on April 17.
Hall was arraigned Monday in the court on one count of armed robbery; his bond was set at $150,000 and he remains in the Oakland County Jail. He appears before Carniak on Monday for a preliminary exam.
Police were tipped off about the identity of the suspects in the robbery by employees of Chicken Shack in Rochester, located about three blocks from the jewelry store.
"The owner and a manager at Chicken Shack called (after receiving an email alert about the robbery) to provide information that three suspicious subjects had been in their business just prior to the crime," Schettenhelm said. "They were also able to provide information that led to the name of one of those individuals."
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Antiques & Fine Jewelry by Pamela
319 S Main St, Rochester, MI -
52-3 District Court
700 Barclay Cir, Rochester Hills, MI
Stuart Shankster
7:35 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Rochester is such a fantastic community, today its rare we're not under constant video survellance. Hoping Rochester can remain the same without security cameras on the streets of Downtown, Main street.
Stuart Shankster
7:44 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Rochester is such a fantastic community, today its rare we're not under constant video survelliance. Hoping Rochester's Downtown main street, can remain the same. It was nice to read an earlier post, indicating it was camera free. Maybe that posting wasn't the smartest tipoff. & soon we'll see Cameras in place.
Patricia Kane
9:46 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
I am against cameras in our city being funded by the taxpayers. It is additional clutter and expense. If the businesses want camera's, they can place them in their stores or outside their establishments. This way, it is an individual decision and expense not the taxpayers. We have a safe and good city. Merchants can have a panic button and above all, always 2 people on site, not one. We have beefed up foot patrols already and certainly police presence. The safety and security one feels they need to be "safe" should be on their property and what they are willing to pay for, less intrusive. It is not everyones responsibility or expense. In addition, once it starts, it never ends.
On the extreme side, we could be the first "gated" city.
Many cities do not have cameras and many of them are larger cities. Any jewelry store or bank knows that additional security is necessary by the very nature of their business. Just like bars and billiards know they need additional trained employees to help at times with their patrons.
I don't think Rochester is ready for cameras. Individual businesses may feel the need for them and they can provide their own and the the ongoing monitoring and maintenance themselves.
Rochester is a safe place to live, work, and walk-no doubt about it.
Thank you
Ed Kane
Ron Harman
3:41 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Both Bob, Stuart and Patricia have stated the obvious problems and expense involved in wireing up Rochester for every and any reasons whatsoever. Whoever is fearful? I too suggest you purchase and maintain your own Security Cameras.