Law enforcement is attempting to identify a man accused of robbing a Republic Bank located in Cherry Hill, NJ.
The robbery occurred on Thursday, not long after the bank opened at 8:30 a.m. The suspect reportedly entered the bank, which is located along Route 70 in Cherry Hill, and handed a note to a bank teller. The note reportedly instructed the bank employee to hand over money.
After getting cash from the teller, the suspect reportedly left the bank and fled the area on foot. By the time Cherry Hill police officers arrived at the scene, the suspect was long gone.
The good news is that nobody suffered any injuries during the robbery.
The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and the Cherry Hill Police Department are conducting a joint investigation into the robbery. Investigators have yet to identify the suspect. Law enforcement officials have described the suspect as a black male who is just under six feet and who has a large build.
If police can ultimately locate and arrest the suspect, he would probably face criminal charges for second degree robbery. Since the suspect did not use a weapon like a handgun or a knife during the theft crime, he would likely avoid first degree armed robbery charges. However, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1, specifies that anyone who commits a theft while putting another person in fear of immediate bodily injury can be charged with a second degree criminal offense. As a result, the suspect could potentially be sentenced to as many as 10 years in New Jersey State Prison on the robbery charges.
For more information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “Help Police ID Alleged Cherry Hill Bank Robber.”