A bank robbery suspect made claims he placed two explosive devices in Hamden and New Haven on Tuesday, according to police.
Robert Raymond is suspected of first robbing the First Niagara Bank, 1248 Dixwell Ave., Hamden and then robbing the Webster Bank at 5 Helen St., according to police.
Police said Raymond entered the First Niagara and handed the teller a note demanding money.
The note indicated that he was in possession of a bomb and the bank teller gave him an undisclosed amount of money.
Raymond then walked to the nearby Webster Bank and again gave the teller a note that had information about a bomb, according to police, and Raymond left the bank after getting an undisclosed amount of money.
A Hamden officer who was responding to the First Niagara robbery spotted Raymond, 67, surrounded by a large cloud of smoke caused by the dye pack and arrested him.
As police searched Raymond, he told police that he had planted a fake bomb in front of the Federal Courthouse in New Haven, police said.
The New Haven Police and F.B.I. immediately responded to the area of Orange Street and closed the road as bomb technicians investigated the package.
People in the Hall of Records on Orange Street were told to stay away from windows while police investigated, but the building was not evacuated.
Bomb squad technicians "disrupted" the package, but determined it was not an explosive device, New Haven Officer David Hartman said.
Orange Street was reopened around 5:30 p.m.
During the investigation , police learned that Raymond and his girlfriend might have been staying at the America Best Value Inn in Branford. Branford Police, CT State Police and the F.B.I evacuated the inn and investigated. There was no bomb making materials found.
Raymond, of 109 Augur St., was charged with two counts of robbery in the first degree, two counts of larceny in the second degree and two counts of breach of peace in the first degree.
Raymond is being held on $500,000 bond and will appear in Meriden court on Wednesday.
Photo Credit: Hamden Police
