Police Searching for Bank Robber

Toms River police are searching for a man who robbed the Sovereign Bank on Fischer Boulevard Wednesday afternoon of less than $600 cash.

The suspect did not show or threaten a weapon during the robbery, which occurred at about 3:40 p.m., and was last seen on foot, police Chief Michael Mastronardy said in an email.

The bank, which sits across the street from Bellcrest Plaza, was closed as Toms River police, Ocean County Sheriff's Office and other authorities were on the scene investigating the incident.

Mastronardy said a man initially entered the Provident Bank across the street but left after a bank employee asked him to remove his hat. The suspect then entered Sovereign as Provident employees were reporting a suspicious person to Toms River police dispatchers.

The suspect handed a note to a teller at Sovereign, demanding money, Mastronardy said. The teller complied, handing over less than $600 that was available in her drawer at the time. The chief said the suspect then "quickly exited" the Fischer Boulevard bank and took off on foot.

The man is described as a thin, white male, about 6 feet tall and 50 years old. He was unshaven, wearing a green raincoat and green baseball cap.

was the scene of a late-night attempted armed robbery on April 14, when a woman walking to the ATM outside the bank was confronted by a man with a replica of a semi-automatic weapon. Police said the victim screamed and the man fled.

The bank is a free-standing location on the corner of Hazelwood and Fischer Boulevard, across from the BellCrest Plaza. 

Anyone with information on Wednesday's robbery is asked to call Toms River Police Detective Randy Petrick at 732-349-0150, ext. 1235.