Boston SWAT Takes Down Salem Bank Robber After 5-Hour Standoff in Southie

A Boston SWAT team captured Salem bank robbery suspect Stephen Gingras, 39, early Wednesday morning after a tip led Salem police to believed he was holed up in a house in South Boston, Mass.

"That's basically what happened," said Salem police Capt. Joel Dolan.

But, he added, Gingras will not be coming back to the Granite State to face the bank robbery charge any time soon. He's wanted in Massachusetts on numerous other charges, Dolan said. He is the same man police believe robbed a Citizens bank inside a Stop & Shop in Bedford, Mass., on Monday night and committed an armed home invasion in Andover, Mass., earlier.

According to the department's press release, the break came yesterday when Salem police found a stolen vehicle which Gingras was thought to have used. They investigated and with help from the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force, detectives concluded their man might be at a South Boston, Mass. address. Once his location was confirmed, they asked the Boston Police Department to assist.

Investigators from the Fugitive Unit had been notified around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday that Gingras, who was considered armed and dangerous, might be at the address.

Dolan said Boston police made contact with Gingras around 10 p.m. on Tuesday night. A five-hour standoff followed.

During that incident, Boston police said, Gingras showed he had an AK-47 style assault rifle. Ultimately, police had to enter the house to capture him. But on the SWAT team's first attempt to capture him, Gingras tried to jump put a second-story window. Then he went back and barricaded himself inside the house at 9 Orton-Moratta Way.

After hours of negotiations, the SWAT team forced its way inside and took Gingras into custody around 2:40 this morning, Boston police said. No one was injured during the arrest, Dolan said.

Inside the house, police found a fully loaded .762 caliber Century Arms Inc rifle with a large capacity magazine.

Gingras will appear in South Boston District Court on numerous charges including Fugitive from Justice Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition and Unlawful Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device before facing extradition to New Hampshire, police said.

According to published reports, Bedford, Mass. police suspected Gingras was the same man who held up a Citizens branch at 337 Great Road inside a Stop & Shop. The surveillance camera captured a picture of a man who appeared similar to the surveillance camera picture the Salem bank captured. Witnesses also described tattoos on the robber. Gingras has tattoos on his fingers and both hands and a tattoo of Texas with a cross on his left forearm.

In both robberies, the suspect passed the teller a note demanding money.

Editor's Note: The information above was derived from the Salem and Boston Police Departments. It does not indicate a conviction.