Cops eye possible link in bank heists in Sharon Hill and Ridley

Authorities are investigating a possible link between a Nov. 5 robbery at a branch of Wells Fargo Bank in Sharon Hill, and a robbery of a branch of Citizens Bank in Ridley Township on Tuesday morning.

In both cases, a lone male robber wearing a mask over his face requested the teller to give him bills in denominations of $20s, $50s and $100s. He did not present a demand note or imply he had a weapon, police said.

“The M.O. was basically identical,” Sharon Hill Police Chief Richard Heron Jr. said of the two incidents, referring to the suspect’s method of operation. The Sharon Hill heist occurred shortly after 12:30 p.m. Nov. 5 at the branch of Wells Fargo Bank at 1110 Chester Pike. The suspect was last seen fleeing on foot behind a nearby Dunkin’ Donuts.

It was shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday when Ridley police were dispatched to the Citizens Bank branch, located in the 2600 block of E. MacDade Blvd. With the exception of three bank em- ployees, there was no one else in the lobby when the suspect entered the building.

According to police, the suspect, whose face was covered with a white bandana, told the manager to stay away from the alarm. Again, he wanted only bills in denominations of $20s, $50s and $100s. The suspect is described as a bearded black male wearing a sweatshirt and black hat.

There were no reported injuries in either incident.