By VINAYA SAKSENA

SEEKONK — Police have arrested one of two suspects in a pair of recent armed robberies as the search for the second suspect continues.

Police report that Stephen J. Wahl, 52, of Providence, was taken into custody after a prolonged chase involving multiple law enforcement agencies. He is being charged with armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon and malicious destruction of property, among other offenses.
Wahl's troubles began when police responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Dunkin Donuts, 1200 Fall River Ave., on Tuesday at around 4:30 a.m. The suspect, described as a “white male in his late forties,” allegedly showed a gun, but fled the scene with no money, riding away in a “dark-colored Ford Expedition.”
Minutes later, police learned of a second armed robbery, just down the street at Don’s Mobil, 960 Fall River Ave. The descriptions of the suspect and his getaway vehicle were similar. This time, witnesses reported seeing the holdup man get into the passenger’s side of an SUV.
While on his way to the scene, Officer Arthur Beaudoin saw the suspect vehicle on Fall River Avenue near an on-ramp to I-195. The driver responded by taking to the highway westbound and shutting off his lights to elude pursuit.
The SUV continued into Rhode Island, traveling at a high rate of speed and briefly getting on and off the interstate somewhere in East Providence.
By this time, a second Seekonk cruiser had been joined by several East Providence police cruisers in hot pursuit.
Still traveling at high speed, the Expedition took the South Main Street exit into Providence, with police reportedly losing sight of the vehicle in the Whalen Square area.
The Expedition was soon found abandoned nearby. Shortly thereafter, police detained a man who fit the description of the robbery suspect. Transported to Providence, an employee of Don's Mobil reportedly identified Wahl as the robber.
He remains in custody in Rhode Island pending extradition. According to Seekonk Police Capt. Craig Mace, Wahl is likely to face charges in the Ocean State before the Bay State gets to deal with him.
Seekonk Police Detective Tomas Piquette described Wahl's alleged accomplice as a white male, 5 feet 10 inches tall and slightly younger than Wahl. No further information was available on the second suspect.