Woman tried to steal from Boston pizza shop then assaulted owner, police say

A woman tried to steal chips from a Boston pizza shop, then assaulted the owner when she was asked to leave, according to the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office.

At about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, police received a call from Pizza Stop at 851 Harrison Ave. The owner told officers that the woman, later identified as Nina Benoit, 33, of Quincy, had been “causing a disturbance” in the store and not purchasing anything. After being asked multiple times to leave, the owner told police Benoit tried to steal multiple bags of chips from the front counter.

According to the district attorney’s office, the owner then confronted Benoit and she pulled out a silver multi-tool knife and waved it at the owner, who received a cut about 4 to 6 inches long on his right forearm.

Benoit, who was sitting outside when police arrived, told officers she had defending herself because someone in the store was choking her.

Multiple witnesses backed up the owner’s story, police said.

The shop owner was treated by emergency medical staff at the scene.

“It is always frightening to see a disturbance or altercation escalate and rise to violence,” Kevin Hayden, the district attorney, said in a statement. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their workplaces, and our business owners and their customers should be able to go about their daily lives without encountering dangerous situations.”

Benoit was charged with armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. She was arraigned Wednesday, ordered held on $2,500 bail and told to stay away from the restaurant. She will return to court on April 17.

According to the district attorney’s office, Benoit was convicted in 2017 of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and in 2018 of assault and battery on a police officer causing serious bodily injury and served prison time for both convictions.