Man Charged With Slew Of Central Jersey Bank Robberies

NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — This Hillsborough man was arrested Monday night and is charged with up to six Central Jersey bank robberies, including one yesterday in North Brunswick. He was arrested only after he allegedly robbed two banks in one day yesterday — one of which was the Valley National Bank on Rt. 27, where North Brunswick police recovered key physical evidence at the scene and which they were able to link back to his Hillsborough home address.

He is also a suspect in a Middlesex borough bank robbery that happened last Thursday, Middlesex police told Patch they will be issuing a criminal complaint charging Elbaum with second-degree robbery later this afternoon.

Mark Elbaum, 52, of Merritt Drive in Hillsborough, was arrested Monday night at his home by a team of law enforcement, led by the Somerset County prosecutor's office. He is either charged with or a suspect in the following bank robberies in Central Jersey throughout October:

Oct. 1, Franklin Twp.: At approximately 9:33 a.m. the Financial Resources Federal Credit Union on Easton Avenue in Franklin Twp. was robbed. A man entered the bank, did not show a gun and demanded money from the bank teller; he was given an undisclosed amount of cash and fled on foot.

Oct. 23, Bridgewater: At approximately 12:05 p.m., the Peapack-Gladstone Bank on East Main Street in Bridgewater was robbed. The man similarly handed the teller a note and then fled on foot after he was given cash.

Oct. 24, Flemington: At around 9 a.m. the Northfield Bank on Main Street in Flemington was robbed by a man who matched Elbaum's same description.

Oct. 25, Middlesex borough: At 3:43 p.m. a white man described as "heavyset" passed a note to the teller at the Unity Bank on Bound Brook Road, was given money and then fled on foot.

Oct. 29, West Windsor: The Santander Bank on Princeton-Hightstown Road was robbed at 10:14 a.m. by a man described as "a white, heavyset man in his 50s with multiple chins."

Oct. 29, North Brunswick: At approximately 11:00 a.m. Monday, Oct. 29, the Valley National Bank on Rt. 27 in North Brunswick was robbed. When police got there, the suspect had reportedly just left the bank.

North Brunswick police said they recovered evidence at the scene and, working with the Middlesex County prosecutor's office, the Somerset County prosecutor's office and the FBI, they arrested Elbaum at around 7 p.m. Monday night at his home in Hillsborough.

He was arrested without incident and charged with robbery in many of the instances, the Somerset County prosecutor's office said. He is currently being kept in the Somerset County Jail.

"Elbaum is suspected in several other robberies throughout the area, and those investigations are ongoing with additional charges pending," said North Brunswick police Capt. Brian Hoiberg. "Anyone with any information is asked to call North Brunswick detectives at (732) 247-0922, ext. 340."

Top mugshots of Mark Elbaum released by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office and North Brunswick police.

Related: Middlesex Boro Bank Latest To Be Hit By Same Suspect, Cops Say