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Shelton Man Charged In Westport Bank Heist

WESTPORT, Conn. – A Shelton man was arrested Thursday morning and charged with the knife-point robbery of a CitiBank branch in Westport last Friday, Police Capt. Sam Arciola announced Thursday.

Shelton resident James L. Watson was arrested Thursday morning by Westport police and charged in last Friday's bank robbery.

Shelton resident James L. Watson was arrested Thursday morning by Westport police and charged in last Friday's bank robbery.

Photo Credit: Contributed: Westport Police Department

Police identified 44-year-old James L. Watson as the suspect based on evidence recovered following the robbery and information received during the investigation, Arciola said.

At approximately 1 p.m. on Dec. 21, a man entered the CitiBank at 399 Post Road W., showed a knife to the teller and passed a note demanding money. He fled on foot before police arrived.

The suspect was described as a clean-shaven black man in his late 30s or early 40s, approximately 6-feet tall with muscular upper body and wearing a black trench coat and blue hat with orange writing.

Shortly after the crime, police recovered evidence from the robbery, including the trench coat, baseball hat and knife, on Sylvan Road North in Westport, about a mile from the bank, Arciola said.

“Information was developed that Watson had been in the Hudson Valley Bank at 420 Post Road W. shortly before the robbery at CitiBank,” Arciola said in a statement. “Detectives continued to develop information through the holiday which led to Watson’s arrest this morning.”

Watson was charged with first-degree robbery, a felony, and fifth-degree larceny, a misdemeanor. He was arrested at his home with help from Shelton police, Arciola said.

Watson was being held on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in Norwalk Superior Court Friday.

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