Police seeking suspect in armed robbery

The perpetrator of an armed bank robbery that took place in Springfield on Thursday may be the same as the person that carried out a similar armed robbery at a credit union in October, according to police.

www.eagletimes.com     www.rutlandherald.com

www.vnews.com

2016-11-11 / Front Page Police seeking suspect in armed robbery Perpetrator may have been involved in October robbery, police say Security camera footage of the suspect in an armed robbery that occurred at the Mascoma Savings Bank branch in Springfield the morning of Thursday, Nov. 10. — COURTESY OF SPRINGFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT Security camera footage of the suspect in an armed robbery that occurred at the Mascoma Savings Bank branch in Springfield the morning of Thursday, Nov. 10. — COURTESY OF SPRINGFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT SPRINGFIELD — The perpetrator of an armed bank robbery that took place in Springfield on Thursday may be the same as the person that carried out a similar armed robbery at a credit union in October, according to police. “The subject exhibited similar features and statements to those associated with the [armed robbery at] Windsor County South Credit on Oct. 18,” according to a press release from the Springfield Police Department. On the front door of the bank, a sign read "Temporarily closed, Emergency in building" on Thursday morning. Black screens were pulled down behind the drive-through bank teller windows behind the building. Police responded to a report of an armed robbery at Mascoma Savings Bank, located at 270 River St., at about 8:15 a.m. According to police, the suspect approached the bank manager when the branch opened for the day, and appeared to have been lying in wait. Police believe the suspect was working with an accomplice, and said he had referenced having people “watching the establishment.” The suspect demanded money from the manager for an estimated period of 20 to 30 minutes, according to a press release from Springfield police. After stealing an “undetermined amount” of cash, the perpetrator then stole the branch manager’s car, which was found abandoned at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Springfield, according to a post on the Springfield Police Department Facebook page. Police said the suspect appears to have local knowledge of the area, and may have met up with the accomplice or had another getaway vehicle. A Lebanon police cruiser is parked behind the Mascoma Savings Bank branch in Springfield after an armed robbery that occurred the morning of Thursday, Nov. 10. — CAMERON PAQUETTE A Lebanon police cruiser is parked behind the Mascoma Savings Bank branch in Springfield after an armed robbery that occurred the morning of Thursday, Nov. 10. — CAMERON PAQUETTE The robbery bears similarities to the armed robbery at Windsor County South Credit Union at 383 River St. that took place Oct. 18. In that incident, the suspect entered the bank with a gun and asked for money, stole one of the bank tellers’ vehicles, and later abandoned the vehicle on Plains Road in Weathersfield. The suspect is described as a white man standing 5-feet-11-inches tall with a “heavier looking build” wearing a green hoodie, black gloves, work boots, a black mask with sunglasses and tan “Carhartt-type” pants with a baseball cap. Police said the suspect was armed with a black semi-automatic handgun at the time of the robbery.

At this time, the suspect has not been located and anyone with information is asked to contact the Springfield Police Department at (802) 885-2113.