Robbery suspect caught several counties away
A man is arrested in the Herkimer area for a bank holdup on Route 296 in Windham.
WINDHAM, N.Y. >> The suspect in an armed robbery at the NBT Bank on state Route 296 in this Greene County town led authorities on an hourslong chase through several counties that ended with his arrest, state police said Friday.
Police said the bank, at 49 Route 296 in Windham, was held up by a lone man with a handgun about 2:10 p.m. Thursday. No injuries were reported, and police did not identify the type of handgun used or say how much money was taken.
The suspect, later identified as Gary J. Pett, 42, of Ilion, Herkimer County, fled the bank in a Chevrolet Impala, police said.
Police established command post at the Windham Fire Department and tracked Pett’s car through the Greene County towns of Ashland and Prattsville, then into Delaware County, Schoharie County and eventually Herkimer County.
More than seven hours later, about 9:30 p.m, Pett and the vehicle were seen in the city of Little Falls, also in Herkimer County, and he was arrested, police said.
Police said they recovered proceeds of the robbery after arresting Pett, but they did not say whether the handgun was recovered.
Pett was charged with robbery, a felony, arraigned in Cairo Town Court and sent to the Ulster County Jail without bail.