A teller at Northwest Savings Bank driving past the Fredericktown bank just after it had been robbed Thursday afternoon was able to give state police information that helped them quickly nab two suspects.
Daniel J. Famularo, 50, and Robert E. Loar, 58, both of 172 Fourth St., Pitt Gas, Greene County, were arrested about an hour-and-a-half after the 1 p.m. heist at the bank on Front Street.
Loar is accused of pointing a gun at one of the tellers while Famularo pointed a weapon at the other employee. Famularo threw a bag on the counter and ordered the teller to "put money in the bag," state police said.
Famularo's face was familiar to the bank's tellers, said Trooper David Vanderaar, who filed the charges. Famularo reportedly had been inside the bank four other times since Oct. 10, most recently Tuesday.
On Oct. 10 and 15, Famularo was dressed in blue jeans and a blue hooded sweatshirt pulled tightly against his face. During the second visit, he also wore a ball cap and sunglasses. Both times, he asked for information on how to open an account. When he again entered the bank on Nov. 8, management asked him to leave.
On Tuesday, Famularo reportedly entered the bank with a black T-shirt over his face and a dark, hooded sweatshirt over his head. He also wore a heavy jacket and gloves and had an empty plastic grocery bag sticking out of his pocket.
As he approached the teller, another bank employee encountered him. Police said he took the shirt off his face and said, "I'm only joking. It's only a prank," and ran out of the bank.
On the four previous occasions, he was inside the bank about the same time it was held up, between noon and 1:15 p.m. There were no customers any time he entered the bank.
After getting the license number and description of the vehicle from the teller, police broadcast the information to surrounding departments. The two were found not far from their home. Vanderaar said some evidence, including some of the money, was recovered.
Vanderaar said there is no known motive for the holdup. Neither man is employed, and both are known drug users, he said.
Both men were arraigned before District Judge Valarie Costanzo just after midnight Thursday. Loar is charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, theft and reckless endangerment. Famularo is also charged with robbery, theft, criminal conspiracy and reckless endangerment for the holdup. He is also charged with criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and harassment for the earlier incidents at the bank.
Loar was placed in Washington County Jail on $25,000 bond, while Famularo is jailed on $27,500 bond. Both men are scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Central Court Wednesday. A preliminary hearing for Famularo on the trespass and disorderly conduct charges is set for Wednesday before District Judge William Pelkey.