PARIS – A 23-year-old man pleaded not guilty Thursday to trying to steal a cash register and purse from a Mexico Big Apple store.

Joshua Ryan Pollis of Sun Valley Circle in Mexico entered not guilty pleas in Oxford County Superior Court to two counts of robbery, one count of criminal mischief and two counts of theft.

Pollis has been held at the Oxford County Jail since his arrest Jan. 15.

According to a report by officer Dean Benson of the Mexico Police Department, Pollis attempted to leave the store on River Road with the register and a purse belonging to the clerk. He was arrested after Benson and other people at the store stopped him as he tried to leave in a vehicle.

Benson suffered a cut to his forehead in the incident and used pepper spray on Pollis. Officers from the Dixfield and Rumford Police Departments assisted in the arrest.

According to Benson, Pollis said he had been using cocaine prior to entering the store. He had a total of six outstanding warrants from Oxford, Androscoggin and Cumberland counties, as well as Coos County, N.H.

The clerk said Pollis caused $1,051 damage at the store.