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Police release photos of Newton bank robber

E-mail|Link|Comments () January 26, 2010 04:33 PM

One of a series of bank surveillance photos released by Newton Police.

By Shana Wickett, Globe Correspondent

Newton police have released surveillance pictures of a person armed with a handgun who robbed a Newton bank Monday morning.

Authorities are seeking help identifying the suspect, who entered Eastern Bank at 188 Needham St. around 10:15 a.m. Monday, pointed the handgun at a bank employee, and demanded money, said Lieutenant Bruce Apotheker. The bank employee handed an undetermined amount of money to the suspect.

One customer was inside the bank and another was at the ATM, Apotheker said. No one was injured.

Surveillance camera footage revealed that the suspect was 5 feet 9 inches tall, about 185 pounds, and wore black pants, a gray hooded sweatshirt, a baseball cap under the hood, dark-colored footwear, and what appeared to be yellow vinyl dishwashing gloves, Apotheker said.

It is unclear whether the suspect - who also wore a black mask - is a man or woman, but police were told the suspect was a man who spoke with an accent, Apotheker said.

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A bundle of $20 bills and several loose $20 bills were found on a sidewalk down the street and immediately returned to the bank after the suspect fled toward Tower Road, Apotheker said. Wellesley, Needham, and State Police, and the FBI’s Bank Robbery Task Force assisted in a search.

No suspects have been identified so far. The Newton Police Department asks that anyone with information about the robbery call the police department at 617-796-2100 or the tips line at 617-796-2121.

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