Accused Bank Robber Caught Walking Near Route 9: Toms River PD

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River police say a man arrested minutes after a bank robbery on Thursday was found in possession of the cash taken in the robbery.

Daniel E. Brown, 30, of Toms River, is being held at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River following the incident that happened shortly before 10 a.m on Thursday.

Police responded a holdup alarm at the Wells Fargo bank at 2360 Route 9 at 9:51 a.m. Thursday and were told a man had gone into the bank and handed a teller a note demanding money. The teller gave him an undisclosed amount of money, and the man left the bank. No weapon was shown, and the man was on foot, said Jillian Messina, media specialist for the Toms River Police Department.

A detailed description of the suspect was broadcast by dispatchers in the Toms River Police Department Communications Division to the officers who were responding.

Officer Sean Smith, who responded to the holdup call, saw a man matching the suspect's description coming out of a wooded area on Route 9 just south of the bank's location, Messina said. The man, later identified as Brown, was detained at 9:58 a.m. and was found to be in possession of the money stolen from the bank.

Smith then arrested him.

Brown was charged with robbery and theft by Toms River Detective Jon Turner, and taken to the jail.

The investigation included the Toms River Police Department Criminal Investigation Bureau, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Unit and the FBI.

"We would like to commend our dispatchers and responding officers for their composure, dedication and professionalism as they do their job every day," the department said. "We are very proud of our team and our outstanding relationship with partnering agencies."

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