WATERBORO — A masked man wearing a Carhartt jacket allegedly told Hannaford clerks he had a gun, and they’d be shot if they didn’t hand over cash in a holdup Tuesday.

York County Sheriff’s Office deputies caught up with the suspect, Christopher Dimastrantonio, 23, of Gorham, just a few miles away in Hollis, after the 5:30 p.m. robbery, and at press time this morning, he was behind bars at York County Jail, held in lieu of $250,000 cash bail.

York County Sheriff Maurice Ouellette said law enforcement officials believe Dimastrantonio is the “coverall bandit,” who allegedly committed seven or more robberies in Gorham, Scarborough, South Portland and Portland over the past two months.

While Dimastrantonio was not wearing Carhartt coveralls as was the so-called “coverall bandit,” deputies found a Carhartt jacket in the car in which he was a passenger when they stopped it just over the Hollis line on Route 202. As well, Ouellette said the threats the suspect allegedly made to store personnel in Waterboro were the same as those said to clerks in stores that were robbed in the other communities.

“The robber directed the employees behind the service desk to give them all the money immediately or they would be shot,” Det. Sgt. Michael Hayes wrote in a prepared statement. “Employees complied with the robber’s demands, and the masked individual fled the Hannaford store with more than $1,100 in cash.”

With the assistance of individuals witnessing the robbery, deputies from York Sheriff’s Office were able to arrest Dimastrantonio in the traffic stop. Evidence gathered at the scene and in the vehicle directly connected Dimastrantonio to the robbery, said Hayes.

Ouellette said the suspect’s girlfriend, a young woman in her early 20s who was driving the car in which Dimastrantonio fled, has not yet been charged in connection with the robbery.

Ouellette said the woman parked the car in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot adjacent to the Hannaford supermarket, Dimastrantonio allegedly walked over and committed the robbery, walked back, and the two left in the car.

“The (deputies) did a good job, and we had real good witness co-operation,” said Ouellette.

A Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office release shows Dimastrantonio was arrested in Gorham Dec. 19, 2011 and charged with burglary and theft.

He was summonsed Dec. 2 in Freeport on two charges of theft by deception, according to arrest logs published online by The Forecaster newspaper.

A manager at the Waterboro Hannaford this morning referred questions to a spokesman at the company’s corporate headquarters.

“We appreciate the effort of law enforcement,” said Hannaford spokesman Eric Blom. “Everyone at the store did the right thing, and we’re glad they’re all right.”

Citing the ongoing investigation, he referred further inquiries to the sheriff’s office.

Dimastrantonio was charged with robbery and violation of conditions of release.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.