The following timeline of events of the Rockland Trust bank robbery on Thursday, Nov. 17 was pieced together from federal and state affidavits filed in court that referred to cell phone records, surveillance video and witness statements reviewed by law enforcement.
Wednesday, Nov. 16
Omar Johnson travels to Martha’s Vineyard in a silver/gray sedan via the Steamship Authority. Cell phone records track Mr. Johnson and Miquel Jones’s cell phones together, putting them in an area of Oak Bluffs consistent with a residence known to law enforcement. Cell phone records also track Miquel Jones’s phone to a parking lot approximately 168 feet behind the Rockland Trust bank in Tisbury at 8:35 p.m.
At 11:59 p.m., Mr. Jones texts his wife “Racquel,” who lives in Jamaica: “Just came in from Jomo them...I’ll call you in the morning babe...we on a lil mission so our calls won’t go through till about 9 ok.”
Police later identify “Jomo” as a nickname for Mr. Johnson.
Thursday, Nov. 17
At 8:15 a.m., the Tisbury police department is dispatched to the Rockland Trust bank branch located at 257 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road for a burglar alarm. A Tisbury police officer arrives and finds three bank employees bound with duct tape and plastic ties. The police officer calls for backup and initiates a major public safety response.
Bank employees tell police in an interview, corroborated by surveillance video, that three masked individuals, armed with semi-automatic handguns, pushed the bank staff through the back door of the bank as they arrived for work in the morning. One of the robbers held a gun to the back of the bank manager’s head, and forced open the vault, stealing U.S. currency in a duffel bag.
The robbers then bound the bank staff and began searching their personal belongings and demanding access to their vehicles. A bank employee, known to police as Employee 1, told the robbers that their key fob was on the seat of their car, a Nissan Murano. The robbers then fled the scene in the stolen Nissan Murano.
Surveillance footage recorded at 8:29 a.m. from a passing Vineyard Transit Authority bus shows a Nissan Murano parked in a lot off Barnes Road near the Manuel F. Correllus state forest. The video shows a dark-colored (blue or black) sedan departing the parking lot. The sedan was missing a rear, driver’s side hub cap.
Shortly after the robbery, police locate the stolen Nissan Murano in the parking lot near the state forest, 2.3 miles from the bank. Employee 1 consents to police searching the vehicle. Inside, police find duct tape and pieces of green, shrub-like vegetation.
Cell phone records from later that morning show that Mr. Jones received a call at 8:39 a.m. from “Tevin,” who law enforcement later determined to be Mr. Jones’s work colleague and the husband of bank Employee 1.
At 8:57 a.m., surveillance video from the Steamship Authority shows a silver sedan, later identified as a 2009 Nissan Maxima registered to Mr. Johnson’s wife in New Hampshire, enter the Stop & Shop parking lot across from the Vineyard Haven ferry terminal. Two unidentified men exit the vehicle and enter the terminal building. The two men purchase SSA tickets, pay in cash, and board the 9:30 a.m. ferry bound for Woods Hole.
At 9:43 a.m., Google locations from Mr. Jones and Mr. Johnson’s phones place them in the area of a Tisbury farm and landscaping pit where Mr. Jones and the husband of Employee 1 work.
Mr. Johnson and Mr. Jones arrive at the Stop & Shop parking lot in a dark blue or black sedan with a missing rear hub cap, later identified as a 2007 Hyundai Elantra registered to Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson exits the passenger side of the car, and enters the driver’s side of the Maxima that was left in the parking lot. Surveillance video shows the Elantra leaving the parking lot at 9:53 a.m.
Mr. Johnson then enters the SSA building and purchases a ferry ticket using Mr. Jones’s credit card. After entering the standby line at 10:10 a.m., Mr. Johnson drives the Maxima onto the 12:30 p.m. ferry bound for Woods Hole.
Friday, Nov. 18
A law enforcement officer stationed at the Vineyard Haven SSA terminal observes a dark Elantra in the area with a missing rear hub cap. The officer queries the vehicle, and sees it is registered to Mr. Johnson. Officers notice the vehicle has a defective passenger-side brake light and conduct a motor vehicle stop. Mr. Jones is identified as the operator of the vehicle.
Mr. Jones voluntarily goes to the Oak Bluffs police department for questioning and consents to a search of his phone. He admits to being in possession of the Elantra and being parked near the state forest at about 8:20 a.m. on the morning of the robbery. He also admits to driving Mr. Johnson to the SSA terminal on the morning of the robbery, and identifies a “Person 2” at the terminal who is known to law enforcement but has not been publicly identified. Police say Mr. Jones is evasive during questioning, but is not placed under arrest.
Law enforcement also go to Mr. Johnson’s residence in New Hampshire and observe a silver Nissan Maxima in the driveway, although they are unable to see the license plate.
Saturday, Nov. 19
Forensic analysis reveals 115 calls between Mr. Jones and Mr. Johnson in the months leading up to the robbery, as well as Google searches for bank robbery protocol from earlier in November.
Mr. Jones voluntarily returns to the Oak Bluffs police station and requests to speak with a state police trooper. While the police interview is ongoing, investigators conduct a search of the Elantra, and find three $100 bills, two of which are sequentially marked, as well as dark clothing consistent with video surveillance of the robbery. Mr. Jones is placed under arrest.
Sunday, Nov. 20
At 10:27 a.m., a $3,040 bank deposit is made at a Webster Bank in Waterbury, Conn.
At 10:29 a.m., a $1,060 bank deposit is made at the same bank in Waterbury, Conn. Police later obtain video of the transaction that shows the Nissan Maxima arrive at the bank. The individual on the video making the transaction is neither Mr. Johnson nor Mr. Jones. A second individual in the car is neither Mr. Johnson nor Mr. Jones.
Monday, Nov. 21
Mr. Jones is arraigned in Edgartown District Court on charges of being an accessory to the robbery after the fact. He is held on $300,000 bail. Police note the clothes and shrub-like substance found in his vehicle, consistent with the robbery.
Tuesday, Nov. 22
At 3:00 a.m., federal and state law enforcement execute a search warrant for Mr. Johnson’s New Hampshire residence and find a Glock 19 semi-automatic handgun. Police also tow and search the Nissan Maxima, finding a bank deposit slip for $4,100 issued from a Webster Bank in Waterbury, Conn. Police also find a slip for a money transfer of $700 to Jamaica.
Mr. Johnson’s wife, who was present at the home, tells police Mr. Johnson gave her five $100 bills on Friday, Nov. 18, the day after the robbery.
Mr. Johnson agrees to an interview, and admits to staying with Mr. Jones on Martha’s Vineyard on the night of Nov. 16, as well as driving Mr. Jones to the SSA terminal on the morning of the robbery. He also admits to meeting up with a “Person 2” on Nov. 16. Mr. Johnson is not placed under arrest.
On the Vineyard, investigators search the farm at which Mr. Jones is employed. During the search, investigators discover two guns buried in the ground about three inches deep. The guns are consistent with those used in the robbery. Burned materials are also discovered that are consistent with masks, a walkie-talkie and the straps of a duffel bag used in the robbery.
Friday, Nov. 25
The FBI issues a warrant for Mr. Johnson’s arrest. Mr. Johnson is arrested after a car stop in New Haven, Conn. and charged with masked armed robbery and conspiracy.
Monday, Nov. 28
Mr. Johnson waives extradition in New Haven district court. He is ordered held on $250,000 bail.
Thursday, Dec. 1
Mr. Johnson is transported by state police to Massachusetts. Prosecutors upgrade charges against Mr. Jones to masked armed robbery and conspiracy.
Friday, Dec. 2
Mr. Johnson is arraigned on charges of masked armed robbery and conspiracy in Edgartown district court. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston takes the cases, federally charging Mr. Johnson and Mr. Jones with masked armed robbery and revealing that the robbers stole $39,100 in the heist.
Tuesday, Dec. 6
Mr. Jones and Mr. Johnson appear in federal district court in Boston.
The matter remains under investigation.
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