Not The First Time Alleged Peabody Bank Robber Used Bomb Threat

PEABODY, MA -- The man who allegedly robbed a Peabody bank Monday by claiming he had a bomb before being captured fleeing in a taxi has a history of robberies, including a 2014 robbery of a New Hampshire bank in which he also claimed to have a bomb. Leo Willwerth, 32, of East Boston, was arrested after Massachusetts State Police followed the taxi cab he was riding in with a helicopter.

State and Peabody Police are still trying to determine what role, if any, the woman who drove the cab played in the robbery. Her name has not been released. Police said Willwerth handed a note to the teller saying he had a bomb and was given an unisclosed amount of money.

After being seen fleeing in the cab, Peabody Police contacted the taxi company, which was able to locate the vehicle by GPS. State Police were able to follow the taxi by helicopter before it was pulled over on Route 93 near Melnea Cass Boulevard in Boston.

Willwerth is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday. He has a history of robberies, including a New Year's Eve robbery of a TD Bank branch in Seabrook, NH in 2013. In that robbery, the then 27-year-old Wilwerth also threatened to detonate a bomb. In that robbery, according to police reports, Willwerth made off with $860 after handing the teller a note that read "Do not panic, we have a bomb, I got a gun, empty your drawer, no dyepacks, no trackers...safely call the cops when I exit."

Willwerth was also identified as the culprit when police investigating a fraudulent return Willwerth made at a Wal-Mart in Seabrook noticed he was wearing the same clothes in Wal-Mart surveillance footage as the robber from the bank's surveillance footage.

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2014 booking photo of Leo Willwerth by Seabrook, NH Police

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).