NEW JERSEY (NEXSTAR) – A suspected bank robber faces multiple charges after surveillance video of a dye pack explosion and tips from the community led to his arrest, according to Newark, New Jersey authorities.
The 27-year-old Newark man walked into a Capital One bank around 10 a.m. July 3rd wearing a backpack and handed a note, written on a withdrawal slip, to one of the tellers, according to Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara.
The note allegedly read: “I have a gun give me all the money from the register please, and no one will get hurt.”
He walked out of the bank with $2,500 – and, unbeknownst to him, a dye pack the teller had slipped in with the cash – according to Newark police.
Surveillance video shows the moment the dye pack exploded, sending a red cloud into the air.
O’Hara said after police released the video, community members helped them identify the suspect, who police arrested Tuesday.
“I am thankful to community members for responding to our requests for tips regarding the identity and whereabouts of this suspect,” Director O’Hara said in a statement. “I also commend Newark Robbery Detective Darnell Graham for his dedication in following up on those leads. Because the bank’s money dye pack exploded while the suspect was fleeing the scene, he was literally caught ‘red-handed’ by Detective Graham’s outstanding investigative skills.”
The 27-year-old faces charges of robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.