Investigation: Search for Stolen $500K From Federal Hill Bank Goes Statewide
Saturday, July 08, 2023
Overnight on Thursday, June 29, at about 2 AM, two individuals entered the vault at the Santander Bank on Atwells Avenue. They used an employee code and stole, as GoLocal first reported, about $500,000.
The use of the employee code to access the vault could be seen on the bank’s internal cameras.
Before mid-morning, FBI agents and Providence Police detectives had fanned out throughout Federal Hill, conducting interviews and seeking the security camera footage.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTActing police chief Kevin Lanni was seen on the scene. Chief Oscar Perez was on vacation.
Law enforcement immediately believed that the individuals involved in the robbery had access to significant inside information.
Employees of the bank were bought to Providence Police Central booking for interviews.
Investigation Moves to Woonsocket
The investigation then led Providence Police detectives to Woonsocket, where a bank employee lived.
There, according to WPRI, $6,000 was found and an affidavit filed with the court asserted that detectives found a suitcase, cell phones, and passports, as well as clothing that matched the suspects’ description. Providence Police said that one female employee was a "person of interest."
North Providence Storage
Then on Friday, the search moved to North Providence.
North Providence Police Chief Alfredo Ruggiero, in a statement to GoLocal, said, “[Friday] morning at approximately 9 AM, members of the Providence Police Department Detective Division contacted our agency and requested our assistance in executing a search warrant located at 1130 Mineral Spring Ave, Public storage units.”
“At approximately 12 PM, detectives from both agencies executed the warrant and made entry into one of the storage units,” he added.
Providence Police have not disclosed what they found in the storage units.
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