Explosive device was a hoax in Montvale Ave. robbery
Published on July 17th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - A robot was used to determine an explosive device was a hoax after a robber held up the Tremont Credit Union at 91 Montvale Ave. in Stoneham on Wednesday, July 10 and left a package claiming it contained a bomb.
State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan said the State Police Bomb Squad was called to 91 Montvale Ave. shortly after 11 a.m. "as a result of an improvised device left behind" in the credit union robbery.
Coan said investigators used a robot to X-ray the device and determine it was a "hoax device."
The FBI today said the "bomb" was, in fact, a road flare.
The robber got away with an undetermined amount of cash, leaving a shaken teller, and disrupting area business and traffic as the building was evacuated and Montvale Avenue closed in both directions for a short period of time.
FBI spokeswoman Gail Marcinkiewicz said the suspect passed a note to the teller leading her to believe he was carrying a bomb, which he left behind. The teller was unhurt in the incident.
Stoneham Police and Fire arrived on the scene immediately and the State Police bomb squad, along with explosives-sniffing dogs were called. The FBI, which has jurisdiction over bank robberies, was also called.
The three-story commercial building contained some 11 businesses which were evacuated.
Police from Stoneham and Woburn closed off Montvale Avenue in both directions (at Maple Street on the Woburn side) for about 45 minutes, but reopened it around noon.
Woburn officers included Kevin Johnson, Richard Jolly and Sgt. Robert Giannotti.
The suspect was described as a white male, about 5 feet 8inches to 5 feet 10 inches, 150 pounds, unshaven, wearing sunglasses and a white baseball cap and carrying a green bag.
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