Cranston Police Arrest Suspect in Multiple Bank Robberies

Cranston Police Arrest Suspect in Multiple Bank Robberies

Cranston Police Department announced an arrest has been made in the bank robbery that occurred Thursday, January 21, 2021, at approximately 1:50 pm, at the Santander Bank located at 555 Reservoir Avenue. 

The suspect is identified as Vaughn Watrous, age 43, with a last known address of 160 Broad Street in Providence. Watrous was taken into custody early Sunday evening by members of the Providence Police Department on a Cranston Police Department arrest warrant and warrants stemming from bank robberies in Providence and North Providence. 

About Cranston Robbery

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Members of the Cranston Police Department's Uniform Patrol and Detective Division responded to the Santander Bank on Thursday afternoon following the report of a man who had entered the bank and passed the teller a note demanding money. The suspect left the bank with a sum of currency and fled into the surrounding neighborhoods. Nobody was injured during the crime. 

Immediately following the robbery, Detectives began to work with bank security officials on identifying the suspect through video images of the crime. During the investigation, Detectives learned that a similar crime had taken place in North Providence approximately ½ hour earlier, with the suspect matching the bank robber's description in Cranston. 

It was also found that this individual may have committed additional bank robberies in the City of Providence. Following investigations in the three jurisdictions for these bank robberies, Cranston Police Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Watrous on January 23, 2021. Providence Police Officers observed Watrous in their city on Sunday evening and arrested him after a brief struggle.

Previous History

Cranston police said  Rhode Island law enforcement "is familiar with Watrous from previous arrests for bank robbery." 

He was released from federal prison on February 25, 2020, after admitting in Federal Court that on consecutive dates beginning on February 11, 2013, he robbed Sovereign Bank branch offices on North Main Street in Providence, Atwells Avenue in Providence, and on Reservoir Avenue in Cranston. He also admitted that on February 14, 2013, he robbed a Citizens Bank branch office located inside a supermarket on Garfield Avenue in Cranston.

Watrous will be arraigned on one count of 2nd Degree Robbery based on the Cranston Police Department warrant and robbery charges filed by the Providence and North Providence Police departments.

Colonel Michael Winquist stated, "The swift apprehension of this suspect is the direct result of three law enforcement agencies sharing information and working cooperatively to solve robberies in multiple jurisdictions. I commend all the officers and detectives from the various agencies who participated in this investigation. Their diligence resulted in an alleged repeat offender being taken off the street."