LYNDONVILLE — Village residents couldn’t believe what they were hearing as they approached the M&T; bank on the corner of Main Street and Maple Avenue in Lyndonville early Thursday afternoon: The bank had been robbed.
According to Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess, the robbery took place at about 12:15 p.m., when a male entered the bank, handed a teller a note demanding cash, and left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.
The note indicated that he had an explosive device strapped to his body and he would detonate it if the teller did not comply, according to Hess.
An eyewitness said they saw the individual get into a Chevrolet pickup truck and drive away. The witness followed the truck and was able to provide a 911 dispatcher with a license plate number and directions as to where the vehicle was traveling.
While sheriff’s deputies were investigating the scene at the bank, New York State Police from the Albion barracks tracked the vehicle to a house on state Route 18 in the Town of Carlton, where a suspect was taken into custody without incident.
According to the sheriff’s office, Christopher Doulin, 22, of Appleton, was apprehended. The sheriff said Doulin had been staying with his girlfriend at the house.
Sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at the property and recovered the stolen money, as well as clothing that the suspect was described to be wearing, the report said.
According to Hess, Doulin was never in possession of any explosive device.
Doulin has been charged with third-degree robbery, third-degree grand larceny and second-degree falsely reporting an incident. He appeared Thursday evening in Yates Town Court before Justice Donald F. Grabowski and was sent to the Orleans County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.
There were several other people in the bank at the time of the robbery, including customers and bank employees, according to Undersheriff Steven Smith.
The bank remained closed the rest of the day while members of the county sheriff’s office, state police and bank officials investigated the scene.
Smith explained that members of the sheriff’s office would be conducting a forensic investigation, which includes interviewing witnesses, taking photographs of the scene, and more.
“This is the third robbery in the history of the bank,” said Lyndonville Mayor Marc Scarr. The last time a robbery of the M&T; bank happened was more than 10 years ago, he explained.
“This is not something that happens every day in Lyndonville,” the mayor said.
The sheriff stated in a news release that although the Lyndonville Central School District is in close proximity to the bank, neither students nor faculty at the school were ever at any risk.
Contact editor Holly Toal at 798-1400, ext. 8225.
Local News
Related Photos
-
HOLLY TOAL/STAFF
-
HOLLY TOAL/STAFF
-
HOLLY TOAL/STAFF
LYNDONVILLE: Appleton man charged with robbing bank
- Local News
-
-
Paying Respect
- Sense of resignation escorts AES tax pact
- Town considering WNYLC's request
-
Palace, Hartland get Greenway funding
The Historic Palace Theatre and the Town of Hartland both were cleared Tuesday to receive Niagara River Greenway funding for improvement projects.
The eight-member Host Communities Standing Committee voted unanimously to approve funding requests of $151,000 for the Palace and $244,000 for Hartland, which is planning a multi-phase town park enhancement project.
-
Erie Canal photo contest underway
The seventh annual Erie Canalway photo contest is under way.
Entries are being accepted now through Sept. 7. Winning photos will be published in the 2013 Erie Canalway calendar.
-
Jobless totals drop slightly
Unemployment in the Lockport area decreased slightly last month, but it wasn't because more people are going back to work.
The New York State Department of Labor reported Tuesday about 1,000 city residents were without a job in April, the fifth straight month with over 1,000 unemployed. That was down from the 1,100 it reported in March, however, the number of employed stayed the same at about 9,700 people.
-
Fishing for 'Ultimate' perks
Olcott teaming up with Ontario town in running for Canadian equivalent.
-
Sprinkler work coming
Piping in high school fire sprinkler system will be addressed in July.
-
Willow Street victim identified
The victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Willow Street on Saturday was identified by Lockport Police as Richard Boye, 46.
-
Cutting the travel time
For the most part, there is a lot of planning that goes into traveling. Some like to handle the details on their own, making arrangements on the phone or using travel websites to book hotels, planes, vehicles and so on.
But lately, working with a travel agent is becoming more popular.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla
Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
