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By Staff reports
Herald News Staff
Posted Aug 21, 2008 @ 10:40 PM

Fall River -
The Rockland Trust branch at 249 Linden St., Fall River, was robbed Thursday afternoon.
Fall River police say a lone male entered the bank at 12:18 p.m. Thursday. Brandishing what police say appeared to be a black handgun, the robber demanded money.
The robber received an undetermined amount of cash and was last seen fleeing south on Seabury Street.
Police provided no more details about the robber Thursday night. The investigation is ongoing.

http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x633543049/Rockland-Trust-robbed

 

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Three arrested in connection with Rockland Trust robbery

By Grant Welker
GateHouse News Service
Posted Aug 22, 2008 @ 10:24 PM

Fall River -
Police have arrested three suspects in Thursday's robbery of the Linden Street Rockland Trust - a New Bedford man, his Fall River sister and her boyfriend.
Joseph Smith, 55, allegedly went into the bank at 249 Linden St., near Ruggles Park, around noon Thursday with what appeared to be a black handgun and demanded money, police said. He was arrested at his sister's house at 229 Palmer St. in Fall River Thursday night by officers from the Fall River Emergency Response Team, Dartmouth police, New Bedford police, state police and the FBI.
Smith, of 21 Jean St., New Bedford, was charged with armed and masked robbery, possession of a large-capacity firearm, conspiracy, resisting arrest and possession of a large-capacity feeding device in his car.
Sandra Smith, 43, and her boyfriend, Russell Laroche, 40, were also arrested and charged with conspiracy, receiving stolen property of more than $250 value and being accessories after the fact. Laroche's address is 72 Burnside Drive in Swansea.
Witnesses at the bank said they saw the robber running south on Seabury Street with a cloud of red smoke behind him, police said. Officers were told the suspect was given a dye pack during the robbery to help catch him but nothing was found during a search of the area. Smith was also the suspect in robberies in Dartmouth and New Bedford, according to police there. Witnesses identified Smith as the Rockland Trust robber in a photo array, police said.
Shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday, officers removed tenants from their homes on Palmer Street, at the intersection with Montaup Street in the South End. Two detectives saw Joseph Smith walk out a door onto a third floor porch, then climb down a rail to the second floor porch. He jumped to the ground and was apprehended without incident, police said.
Police arrested Sandra Smith and Laroche, who were found on the third floor with "a large amount" of money stained by a red dye, with some money soaking in a cleaning solution. Nearby, a small portable heater was drying cash, police said. Two detectives also found additional cash and a 9mm handgun in a black gym bag.
Police have not released the amount of cash stolen.

http://www.heraldnews.com/news/loca...ted-in-connection-with-Rockland-Trust-robbery