Rockland Trust robbery suspect arrested, held pending dangerousness hearing

FALMOUTH — Bank robbery suspect Petar Petyoshin of Edgartown was arraigned on multiple charges Tuesday, in connection with the April 8 armed robbery of Rockland Trust Bank in Falmouth.

Petyoshin, 40, was arrested Tuesday and ferried from Martha's Vineyard to Falmouth District Court where he was charged with armed and masked robbery with a firearm; for making a bomb hijack threat during the robbery; larceny over $1,200; carjacking; and seven counts of kidnapping for each person that was held inside the bank during the robbery, according to Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois' office.

Falmouth bank robbed: Suspect armed with a gun, threatened he had a bomb

Petyoshin held without bail on bank robbery charges

Petyoshin pled not guilty, and during the arraignment, James T. Morse of Falmouth was appointed to be his lawyer.

Morse, who provided no comment, asked for a seven-day continuance to review evidence and material, which will be provided by the commonwealth by Friday.

Petyoshin will be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing Tuesday.

Morse said the case is circumstantial with no admission or confession from the suspect.

Suspect had a gun and threatened bank staff during robbery

Petyoshin allegedly entered Rockland Trust, located at 20 Davis Straits, around 9:05 a.m. April 8, armed with a handgun. During the incident, the robber said he was carrying a bomb, according to accounts from Falmouth police and the Massachusetts State Police.

Witnesses to the bank robbery said Petyoshin entered the bank, showed a firearm, as well as a device that he said was a bomb, Assistant Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael Giardino said during the arraignment. Bank employees and patrons were zip tied at the conclusion of the robbery. The suspect then left the bank, and stole a motor vehicle that belonged to a bank customer, he said.

"Police received witness statements including descriptions of what the suspect was wearing," Giardino said during the hearing. "There is also surveillance video that shows what the defendant was wearing."

Throughout the investigation, said Giardino, police obtained surveillance video that showed Petyoshin's movements before and after the robbery, and captured Petyoshin wearing identifiable items of clothing, and footwear that matched witness statements.

Surveillance video also shows the suspect in the Stop and Shop parking lot in Falmouth, and on a Steamship Authority ferry in a specific type of caravan or vehicle, which was registered to Petyoshin, Giardino said.

Through his vehicle's registration, police also found that Petyoshin is a water systems operator for the Oak Bluff's Water District.

"Police received Steamship Authority information that he (Petyoshin) came over on the steamship that day at 7 a.m.," said Giardino. "Through multiple surveillance videos, (police) observed him getting off the boat in Woods Hole multiple times and then going to Walmart where he purchased eyeliner, cutting shears for hair, and a white T-shirt."

Petyoshin was observed leaving Walmart and driving to Stop and Shop where he sat in the caravan for about 18 to 20 minutes before he is seen walking towards Rockland Trust Bank, where the robbery occurred.

Following the robbery, the suspect drove away in a stolen 2019 Ford Flex SUV, David Procopio, state police spokesman, said in an email. State police later found the vehicle abandoned on Teaticket Highway in Falmouth.

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Massachusetts State Police officers and a K-9 team searched the area surrounding the highway, and a state police helicopter also helped in the search. Air Wing units conduct incident, scene and surveillance assessments, according to the state, and collaborate with state and local police to locate wanted, missing, or endangered persons.

There were no injuries during the robbery, according to Emily McDonald, vice president and marketing manager for Rockland Trust Bank.

"Rockland Trust is grateful to the authorities who worked tirelessly to respond to the incident," McDonald said in an email. "We are also thankful for the Cape Cod community for the care and support they’ve provided to our exceptional Falmouth branch team."

Rockland Trust has been robbed before

In March, three men were indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with the Nov. 17 armed bank robbery of Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Miquel Antonio Jones, 39, of Edgartown, and Omar Odion Johnson, 32, of Canterbury, N.H., were each indicted on one count of armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting.

Romane Andre Clayton, 21, of Jamaica, was indicted on one count of being an accessory after the fact to armed bank robbery.

Jones, Johnson and Clayton will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date, according to the Justice Department.

On Nov. 17, at around 8:15 a.m., the Rockland Trust bank in Vineyard Haven was robbed at gunpoint by three people. According to police, robbers wearing dark clothing and masks that looked like the face of an older man with exaggerated features entered through the back of the bank and held semi-automatic weapons. They forced a teller to open a vault at gunpoint, stealing $39,100. They also tied up employees with plastic ties and duct tape.

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They stole a vehicle from a teller, later driving it to Manuel F. Correllus State Forest next to Martha’s Vineyard Airport where they abandoned it around 8:30 a.m.

Miquel A Jones was arrested on Nov. 18 after he was stopped by police while driving. Johnson was arrested on Nov. 26 during a car stop in New Haven, Connecticut, and Clayton was arrested on Dec. 9 in Connecticut.

Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Falmouth Rockland Trust robbery suspect arrested on multiple charges