JOINT PRESS RELEASE

SWANSEA POLICE DEPARTMENT

&

REHOBOTH POLICE DEPARTMENT

On February 26, 2018 at approximately 4:56 pm the Swansea Police Department received a 911  call from Santander Bank located at 620 G.A.R. Highway for a reported armed bank robbery.  The bank reported a white male entered the bank, showed a black firearm, and demanded money.  After he received the money he fled the scene in a silver Toyota RAV-4 with an unknown registration number.  The suspect was described wearing a baseball hat, blue sweatshirt and gloves.  The vehicle fled westbound on Rt. 6.  The total amount of money taken is yet to be determined.

Officers responded to the area and a radio broadcast of the suspect and vehicle description was given to surrounding police departments to be on the lookout for the suspect.  Swansea Ptlm Rob Wilson and Detectives Keith Chomka and Joey Faria responded to the bank to process the scene for evidence, review video footage and interview witnesses.

A short time later the Rehoboth Police Department received a call stating that a silver Rav 4 had just driven across the Middlebrook Golf course. The suspect vehicle was spotted by Officer Mark Wetherell who began to pursue it northbound on Chestnut St.  Officer Thomas Ranley joined the pursuit which continued on to Moulton St. (Rt. 118) where the suspect drove over a lawn to avoid officers. The vehicle then turned on to Kelton St. where a crash occurred with the pursuing cruisers.   The suspect was removed from the vehicle at gunpoint and placed into custody by the pursuing officers and Sgt. Richard Shailor. The money from the robbery was still stuffed in the front of the suspects’ sweatshirt. Chief James Trombetta and Officer Louis DiBacco assisted with the investigation at the scene. Both officers involved in the crash were transported to the hospital as a precaution.

Swansea Police Sgt. Mark Foley, Patrick Mooney and Ptlm Jonathan Boyd responded to the Rehoboth crash scene and determined the suspect was in fact the same individual involved in the bank robbery.

The suspect was taken into custody by Swansea Police and transported to Rhode Island Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  The suspect is identified as Jason Nobles age 36 with an address in Lowell, Massachusetts.    Swansea Police will be charging him with Armed Robbery while masked, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to rob and use of a vehicle during the commission of a felony.  Rehoboth Police will additionally be charging him with Failure to stop for Police, Operating to Endanger, Operating after Revocation, 2 counts of destruction of property, and multiple motor vehicle offenses.

Swansea Police were assisted at the scene and with the investigation by FBI Special Agent Geoff Kelly and Massachusetts Trooper Mark Wheeler of the Bank Robbery Task Force.