FBI: Bank Robber Involved in Five Robberies in Rhode Island and Massachusetts

Thomas Flannery, 35, with the last known address of 185 Vermont Ave. in Providence, R.I., was arrested and charged with unarmed robbery of a Citizens Bank in South Attleboro, according to Attleboro Det. Sgt. Art Brillon. Flannery, he said, was arrested in 2005 by Attleboro Police for robbing the same Citizens Bank branch.

In a joint investigation, the Brookline Police Department, Department, Seekonk Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Rhode Island State Police Violent Fugitive Task Force, United States Marshals Service and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force arrested Flannery.

He was arrested at approximately 10:30 a.m. Monday, at a hotel in downtown Providence, shortly after allegedly robbing the Pawtucket Credit Union in Pawtucket, RI, the FBI said in a release. Flannery was initially arrested based on a warrant issued in Massachusetts for prior robberies.  Subsequently, he was charged for the Pawtucket Credit Union robbery by the Rhode Island United States Attorney.

Law enforcement agencies from the Bay State and Ocean State were looking for Flannery after Massachusetts arrest warrants were obtained last week for three robberies he allegedly conducted in Brookline and one South Attleboro, Massachusetts.  

In Brookline, the first alleged robbery occurred on Jan. 26  when a Citizens Bank branch was robbed. A second one occurred on Feb. 04 at a Sovereign Bank branch and a third robbery took place on Feb. 7  when Brookline Bank was robbed.  He then allegedly robbed the Citizens Bank in South Attleboro. 

After the arrest, Mr. Flannery was initially transported to the Pawtucket Police Department where he was fingerprinted and photographed in relation to the Pawtucket Credit Union robbery and Massachusetts warrants. Later, he was transported to the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island where he made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond.  The defendant was ordered detained.  

Reported on Thursday, Feb. 10th from the scene of the Attleboro robbery:

Attleboro Police and detectives have responded to an alleged bank robbery at Citizens Bank in South Attleboro by the South Attleboro commuter rail stop in Bristol Place plaza. Detectives and police officers arrived on the scene just before noon on Thursday and remain at the scene until 2:30.

"It was a bank robbery by a single, white male who presented a note and fled with an undisclosed amount of money" Attleboro Police Detective Art Brillon said from the scene. "We are looking at the train station and at the schedule and examining the note."

Police are looking for a white male, 5' 8", about 30 to 35 in age who was wearing a black jacket, black hat and blue jeans. 

There were two customers and three employees in the bank during the robbery, according to detectives. "Unfortunately, because of its location, this Citizens has been targeted a few times," Brillon said. "The employees handled it very professionally."

Assisting at the scene are two Massachusetts State Police K-9 units and an FBI agent from the Lakeville office. 

Detectives have obtained video surveillance of the robbery and plan to examine it. If assistance is needed by the public, Brillon said police will release the video to the press.