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Two arrested in Needham bank robbery; possible link seen to U30 heists

E-mail|Link|Comments () July 1, 2009 04:28 PM

A bank surveillance camera photo of the U30 Bandit, taken on June 5.

By Ben Terris, Globe Staff

Two men were arrested after a bank robbery today in Needham and authorities believe the men may be connected to the U30 bank heists.

FBI spokeswoman Gail Marcinkiewicz said the men were apprehended at 1:30 p.m. after the robbery at the Sovereign Bank on Highland Avenue in Needham Heights.

Dimitri Long, 33, of Norwood was arrested as he was exiting the bank. Michael Coty, 44, of Dedham fled the scene and was arrested later on Country Club Road in Newton, she said.

Long was tackled by a state trooper as he left the bank, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation told the Globe. A gun was recovered at the scene.

"We believe these individuals may be connected to the U30 robberies," said Marcinkiewicz.

Authorities dubbed the robber the U30 Bandit because he was in and out of banks in under 30 seconds, showing what authorities said was a rare level of discipline. They said the robber apparently fled the banks in a car driven by an accomplice.

Noreen Gleason, assistant special agent in charge, said at a news conference that the two men arrested "seem to be correspondent to what we believe were the U30 bank robbers."

After the arrests, police recovered money and a cellphone, authorities said.

The law enforcement source said based on intelligence, a task force of FBI agents and state police officers were outside the bank moments after the alleged bandit came outside.

Marcinkiewicz said authorities were "trying to determine if there were additional accomplices. ... Obviously, we're going to interview these people and try to get additional information."

The FBI had just launched a public awareness campaign last week to offer a $37,500 reward for the arrest of the U30 Bandit.

The robber held up seven banks in suburbs west and south of Boston between March 26 and June 16, authorities said. Three times he placed what appeared to be an explosive device on the counter, including what looked like three sticks of dynamite taped together in a previous Needham holdup.

Police said the last robbery occurred in Walpole at the Sharon Credit Union.