An East Boston man said he only grabbed a stranger’s gold necklace because he was an expectant father with money woes, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office charged in court today.

MARQUIS ALLEN (D.O.B. 2/8/90) was arraigned this morning in East Boston District Court on an unarmed robbery charge stemming from an incident on Marion Street yesterday. Prosecutors recommended that he be held on $5,000 cash bail; Judge Roberto Ronquillo, Jr., set bail at $1,500 but granted prosecutors’ request that he be ordered to stay away from the victim while the case is pending.

Boston Police on patrol at about 1:40 yesterday afternoon received a report of an unarmed robbery between Paris and Chelsea streets. The suspect – who had snatched a gold necklace from the neck of an East Boston man – was described as a black male about six feet all wearing a beige shirt and dark jeans who had fled north on foot.

Minutes later, officers spotted Allen, who met that description, walking up Brooks Street and making a left onto Lexington Street. They stopped him and noted that he was sweating and appeared anxious. The victim was brought to the scene and positively identified him as the assailant.

Allen was taken into custody. During a search of his person, the officers recovered from his right front pants pocket a chain identical to the one described by the victim. Officers photographed it and returned it to the victim, who suffered a small scratch where it had been yanked from his neck.

During the booking process at District 7, an officer asked Allen why he’d stolen the chain.
“I’m having a baby,” he allegedly said. “I needed the money.”

Allen will return to court on Sept. 1.