Verona Man Tried To Rob West Orange Bank After Loan Denied: Cops

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Authorities arrested a Verona man after he allegedly tried to rob a West Orange bank on Tuesday morning. Bank officials said that the 38-year-old attempted to take out a loan – and got denied – prior to the robbery attempt.

West Orange town officials said that Christopher Morales, 38, allegedly walked into the Wells Fargo on Pleasant Valley Way around 10:45 a.m. and tried to take out a loan.

Bank officials said they denied Morales’ loan application. And that was when he tried to rob them, authorities said.

Morales allegedly handed a bank employee several post-it notes, one of which demanded money, police said. Authorities arrested Morales at the scene soon afterward; nobody suffered injury during the encounter.

Morales was charged with second-degree robbery and resisting arrest. He is being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility, authorities said Wednesday.

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