Updated 4:53 p.m. July 21, 2016: Jersey City Police report that the man arrested was charged with incidents in Maplewood, Summit and Jersey City. Read more here.
A Jersey City man was arrested and charged after attempting to rob the Wells Fargo bank branch on Maplewood Avenue in Maplewood around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20.
Maplewood Police report that the man was reported by a caller to be “running from the Wells Fargo Bank on Maplewood Ave and being chased by a second male.” Maplewood Police responded and discovered that the man running “had passed a note to a teller demanding money.” The person chasing him was an employee of the bank.
“No threats were made and no weapons were observed or implied,” wrote Sgt. Christopher Black of the Maplewood PD in a release.
A witness obtained the license plate number of the vehicle that the suspect used to flee the scene. “Through investigation the actor was identified as the owner of the vehicle, 37 year old John Walsh of Jersey City,” wrote Sgt. Black.
Walsh was taken into custody approximately an hour later at which time Maplewood Detectives processed and charged him with robbery and criminal attempt to commit robbery.
Witnesses observed that the FBI was also seen at the investigation site. Michael Whitaker of the FBI Newark bureau confirmed, “Agents from FBI Newark have provided assistance in regard to this matter.”
A sign in the door window of the bank branch posted Wednesday afternoon read, “We are unexpectedly closed due to an emergency and will reopen as soon as possible.”
