Crime & Safety

Obama Mask-Wearing Bank Robbery Suspect Held on $75K Bail

Police say the suspect had a gun and ammunition on him, never brandished a gun in the bank.

MERRIMACK, NH -- A Newport man who was arrested for robbing Bank of America wearing a mask depicting President Barack Obama was arraigned Wednesday afternoon and ordered held on $75,000 cash bail.

John Robert Griffin Jr., 52, of 186 S. Main St., Newport, N.H., was arrested Wednesday morning shortly after he allegedly robbed the Bank of America at 356 Daniel Webster Highway dressed in an Obama mask, suit jacket, tie and jeans.

Surveillance photos show the suspect in disguise.

Because of the witness descriptions of the man and a provided direction of travel, Lt. Paul Trepaney was able to spot the suspect coming out from behind a business on Columbia Circle just north of the bank, within about 15 minutes of the robbery.

Police say Griffin initially had left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Lt. Denise Roy said he never brandished a gun in the bank, but Merrimack Police Prosecutor Melissa Kowalewski said during Griffin's arraignment that when he was taken into custody, he was found to be in possession of a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition.

Kowalewski recommended Griffin be held on $75,000 cash or surety bail during the arraignment, saying that though Griffin doesn't have a criminal history, he poses a danger to the community as he had "no qualms" walking into a bank with a gun on him during the middle of the morning and robbing it, putting the teller in imminent fear of her safety.

Griffin, who spoke briefly at the arraignment, claimed he wasn't armed when he entered the bank.

Judge Robert Stephen said he didn't want the details of what happened, but wanted to hear from Griffin if he so desired in regard to his argument for bail.

Griffin told the court he was not a flight risk, asking where he would go now that he is in the system. He said it "would serve no purpose."

He also said he does not consider himself a dangerous person.

"I certainly don't mean anybody any harm," Griffin said.

Stephen, however, agreed with Kowalewski that Griffin being found in possession of a gun and ammunition and demanding money from a teller putting her in fear of being harmed suggested he was a danger to the community. He said he believed $75,000 cash-only was a more appropriate bail.

Griffin will be held in Valley Street Jail until he can make bail or pending a probable cause hearing in Merrimack's district court on Sept. 20.


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