Barnegat bank robbery suspect arrested after three-state search – Asbury Park Press

Posted on April 15, 2019

Andrew Goudsward, Asbury Park Press Published 4:48 p.m. ET April 15, 2019

Violent crime declined steadily from 2007 to 2017. Alex N. Gecan, @GeeksterTweets

BARNEGAT – A Pennsylvania resident was arrested Sunday following a three-state manhunt and charged with robbing an M&T Bank late last month, police said.

Kim Quoc Nguyen, 39, of Newtown Square, Pa., is facing charges of robbery, making terroristic threats and theft in connection with the March 29 heist, according to a statement from township police.

The bank robbery occurred at the M&T Bank, located within the shopping plaza at 580 North Main St., at about 4 p.m. The suspect did not brandish a weapon after handing a note to a teller, police said at the time.

Authorities did not say how much the suspect is accused of stealing.

FIRST REPORT: Barnegat bank robber sought by police

Nguyen was identified as the suspect April 2, following an investigation by Detectives James Purcell and William Hetrick, along with Barnegat police’s Crime Reduction Unit, according to the statement.

Police issued an extradition warrant for Nguyen, but didn’t know exactly where he was. The search for the suspect took police to south Jersey, Philadelphia and New York City and involved several different law enforcement agencies over the next two weeks.

Barnegat police eventually located a vehicle connected to Nguyen in Queens, N.Y. and officers then tracked down Nguyen in New Hyde Park on Long Island. The suspect was arrested Sunday following a brief foot pursuit, police said.

Nguyen is currently lodged in the Nassau County jail, pending extradition to Ocean County.

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“This is precisely the kind of collaboration and teamwork we strive for in law enforcement,” Police Chief Keith Germain wrote in a statement. “Over a dozen federal, state, county and local agencies from three states worked together and leveraged their individual knowledge and expertise to safely bring this subject into custody.”

The following agencies were involved in the investigation: