Aggro tip-jar thieves hurl coffee at cop's face in fracas at South Bay Starbucks, police say

Boston Police report arresting two people they say were busy busting up the Starbucks at 36 District Ave. in the fancy new section of the South Bay mall this morning when a detail cop tried to intervene only to come under attack from fists and a thrown cup of hot coffee.

Police charge that Amari Robinson, 30, of Roxbury, and April Payne, 52, of Dorchester, were busy exhibiting aggressive behavior towards store staff and vandalizing store property around 8:50 a.m. when the officer noticed what they were doing and tried to get them to stop.

When the officer intervened, the suspects turned their aggression towards him, assaulting him and striking him multiple times. Robinson further escalated the situation by throwing a cup of coffee at the officer’s face. Additional units rushed to the scene, and the suspects were promptly taken into custody. The injured officer received medical attention from EMS and was subsequently transported to a local hospital for further treatment.

Both were charged with malicious destruction of property and assault and battery on a police officer, police say. Robinson was also charged with larceny from a building for allegedly stealing from the coffee shop's tip jar.

At their arraignments today in South Boston Municipal Court, both Robinson and Payne were ordered held in lieu of $1,500 cash bail each, court records show. Should they make bail, they were ordered to stay away from the Starbucks.

Innocent, etc.