Naugatuck Man Charged With Armed Robbery of Cape Cod Bank

HYANNIS, Mass. — A Naugatuck man was arrested and charged with armed robbery after police in Barnstable, Mass., said he robbed a bank in a nearby town and engaged officers in a car chase on Tuesday, according to police.

At gunpoint, police stopped Michael Hammond, 33, in Hyannis after 10 a.m., after the suspect took police on a chase northbound on Route 132. Police charged Hammond with armed robbery, failure to stop for an officer, operating to endanger and two counts of failure to stop for a red light, a press release stated.

While in custody, police said Hammond confessed to robbing on Route 28 behind the Cape Cod Mall. In addition to confessing the crime, Hammond, whose address is 1000 Andrew Mountain Road in Naugatuck, also told police he is a heroin addict and that he has a criminal history of property related crimes like breaking and entering plus narcotics, domestic and motor vehicle offenses.  

According to Barnstable Police, which oversees the village of Hyannis, Hammond entered the bank alone with a note that said he was armed and demanding money. 

At 10:13 a.m., police received the robbery call at dispatch. Witnesses told police they saw the suspect flee the scene in a blue pick-up truck with yellow writing and Connecticut license plates, and was traveling toward Route 132.

Within minutes, police located the suspect traveling north on 132. Officers Mark Delaney and Steve Barrette, traveling from the mall, pursued Hammond on Route 132, but he did not stop. 

Hammond ran two red lights at Phinney's Lane and Attucks Lane before officer Peter Myrbeck, on a road work detail at the intersection near Route 132 and Huckins Neck Road, stood in the middle of the road and forced Hammond to stop at gunpoint. 

Officers had Hammond exit the truck, put him in handcuffs and located the stolen money. Hammond was positively identified by bank employees.

Police will not say how much money Hammond made off with. 

Hammond will be arraigned in Barnstable First District court on charges.

Editor's Note: Jennifer Simckowitz is the editor of the , where the story was originally published.