Authorities have released a surveillance photo of one of three masked suspects they say robbed Rockland Trust Bank in Vineyard Haven around 8:15 a.m. on Thursday. The bank remains closed.
11/19/22 UPDATE: The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office has announced one arrest in the case.
A large manhunt for multiple suspects continued on Martha's Vineyard on Friday after a bank was robbed at gunpoint on the island on Thursday.
Authorities have released a surveillance photo of one of three masked suspects they say robbed Rockland Trust Bank in Vineyard Haven around 8:15 a.m. on Thursday.
According to Tisbury police and the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office, three unknown people rushed into the bank as employees entered to open for business Thursday morning. The suspects were masked, gloved and armed with handguns, officials said in a joint press release. No one was hurt in the incident.
Anyone with information on the mask in the photo has been asked to call the Tisbury Police Department at 508-696-4240 or state police Trooper Dustin Shaw at 508-693-0545. All three suspects were wearing the same mask, authorities said.
The manhunt is ongoing but police say the old man Halloween masks that the suspects were wearing as they tied employees up is making them tougher to find.
District Attorney Michael O’Keefe and Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekost said residents in the area should remain vigilant but they should not be "overly alarmed."
"This was a targeted crime and there is no additional information that should cause undue fear," a press release read.
The FBI said the investigation is active and ongoing.
"This continues to remain a very active investigation and the search for the suspects continues. We urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any and all suspicious activity and individuals to law enforcement," the agency said in a statement Friday.
Massachusetts State Police said Friday they had no significant update, and that their investigation continues. The Violent Fugitive Unit is involved.
The ferry terminal is one of the places police were watching closely to see if the suspects would try to make it off the island. Their whereabouts are unknown as of Friday night, and the FBI is asking for everyone to remain vigilant until they're caught.
As the ferry from Martha's Vineyard pulled in Friday night, passengers were all asking the same question: how did three suspects pull off an armed bank robbery on a small island and then get away?
"I'm amazed that they tried it and it seems like they're going to get away with it," Wes Bowker said. "It's just sort of wild."
A man who spoke to NBC10 Boston on Friday night said his son attends a school on the island that went into lockdown during the robbery. The district sent out a flyer on Thursday, cancelling all field trips and outdoor activities as the search for the suspects continues.
"I think the schools handled it officially and effectively," he said.
"The question we must consider is where do we truly believe our children are more safe?," the Edgartown superintendent wrote in a message to families. "When considering that many of our children might remain home alone if schools are closed, I believe very strongly that our schools are the safest option, especially with the support of our police departments."
Richie Smith added that he had been assured by the police chiefs of their six towns that each school would have a strong police presence Friday during morning drop-off, afternoon pick up, and all the time in between. The superintendent asked parents to bring their kids to and from school, or escort to and from the bus stop.
"Events such as today’s are very rare for our Island community and I know it affects us all to our core," he wrote, adding that the district would respect parents' decisions as to whether or not they decided to send their children to school on Friday amid the ongoing manhunt.
After searching the Manuel F. Correllus state forest and a Holiday Inn in Falmouth, there are still no arrests, which has many wondering if the suspects are still on the island or if they made it across.
"I don’t think they're that bright, but the fact that they haven’t been caught yet is interesting," Sarah Andreson said.
The bank remains closed on the island. Police are asking everyone heading to Martha's Vineyard this weekend to report anything suspicious.
Ferry service connects Tisbury and Falmouth across Vineyard Sound. The police chief said his officers are watching several different ferries to and from the island.
Federal, state and local authorities are continuing to investigate.
