Police, FBI continue search for suspects in Martha's Vineyard bank robbery

Asad Jung, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read
4

Editor's note: This story was updated at 3 p.m. Friday for further editing.

TISBURY —The Tisbury Police Department continues to investigate an armed robbery at the Rockland Trust Bank in Vineyard Haven on Thursday.

The bank, located at 257 Edgartown Road, and the area around it was an active police area as investigators searched for the suspects, according to a Tweet from the Dukes County Emergency Management Association, and residents were urged to avoid the area.

The Martha's Vineyard Times reported that Tisbury Police said three people robbed the bank at gunpoint at around 8:30 a.m.

State police parked at the Holiday Inn in connection with a bank robbery investigation on Martha's Vineyard
State police parked at the Holiday Inn in connection with a bank robbery investigation on Martha's Vineyard

A car stolen from one of the tellers was later found at Manuel F. Correllus State Forest next to Martha's Vineyard Airport. The Massachusetts State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were brought in to assist in the search for the three suspects, the Vineyard Times reported.

A few hours after the robbery, Falmouth police, state police, and the FBI surrounded the Holiday Inn in Falmouth with a strong show of force looking for the suspects wanted in connection with the Martha’s Vineyard bank heist.

Information led authorities to the hotel, where they suspected the robbers may have been hiding. Authorities arrived on Jones Road in Falmouth around 10 a.m. Several police vehicles could be seen in the hotel parking lot, along Jones Road, as well as the adjacent Peterson Road.

More Falmouth news:Falmouth voters approve bylaw to destroy surplus police assault weapons

Authorities arrived with extensive manpower and firepower, with dozens of officers armed with rifles, police dogs, and even an armored vehicle. Most of the officers began leaving the scene at about 3:15 p.m. The investigation involved the evacuation of rooms as well as the use of surveillance equipment, said Dunne.

The investigation will continue on Martha’s Vineyard, and has concluded in Falmouth for the time being, Falmouth Police Chief Edward Dunne said Thursday afternoon.

Two schools were put on lockdown out of an abundance of caution, said Dunne, the Lawrence School and the Morse Pond School. Students from the Morse Pond School were dismissed early and taken by bus to Falmouth High School where they were picked up by parents. Jones Road was closed off for a few hours.

More Martha's Vineyard news:Vineyard Wind starts cable installation in seas off Martha's Vineyard

On Martha's Vineyard, in response to the robbery, teachers and students at nearby schools sheltered in place according to statement from the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School.

Teaching continued but students were not allowed to leave their classrooms and there is no outside access to the schools.

Contact Sarah Carlon at scarlon@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @sarcarlon.

Stay connected with Cape Cod news, weather, sports, things to do and breaking news.  Download our free app.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Police continue investigating MV robbery after clearing Falmouth hotel