Crime & Safety

Attempted Bank Robber Told Teller He Was 'Desperate,' Police Say

John L. Butler III told the teller at TD Bank he had a weapon and was desperate, police said. He was later taken into custody outside of Saladworks and charged with robbery.

The man who attempted to rob the TD Bank Thursday morning told the teller he had a weapon and was desperate, police said.

He left the bank on foot without any money after the teller told him she didn’t have any cash, according to details provided by the police. He didn’t get very far, though. Police said they located him outside of Saladworks in the nearby shopping center and took him into custody without incident.

The man, John L. Butler III, 71, was arrested for the attempted bank robbery, which occurred at 8:30 a.m., police said. His last known place of residence is Baltimore, Md., but he told police that he had no fixed address or money and was desperate.

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According to police, an employee from the bank, located on West Road across from Acme, called police to report the robbery and described the bandit as a white male, 50 to 60 years of age with cracked and missing teeth. 

“The bank teller told officer that the male suspect handed her a handwritten note instructing her to unload her drawers, no die packs, and stated that he had a weapon, and that he was desperate,” police said.

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Some officers went directly to the bank while others went to the shopping center to search for the man, police explained.  He was located by police near Saladworks and was taken into custody without incident, police said.

Butler was charged with robbery and arraigned Thursday before Judge Donald Nasshorn. He was sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of $500,000 bail, police said.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 6.


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