FBI: Norwood, Dedham men may be connected to 'U30' bank robberies

Two suspects in a Needham bank robbery were arrested in Newton this afternoon. According to the FBI, the two men have connections to other bank robberies.

Dimitri Long, 32, of Norwood, was arrested on Highland Avenue leaving the bank in Needham, and Michael Coty, 44, of Dedham, was arrested on Country Club Road in Newton. The two are suspects in an armed robbery at the Sovereign Bank on Highland Avenue in Needham at 1:30 p.m. yesterday. After the bank robbery, police chased the suspects into Newton, where Country Club Road was blocked of until about 3:45 p.m.

The FBI said two men captured by police after a bank robbery in Massachusetts may be connected to the so-called ``U30'' bank heists. Seven banks west and south of Boston were robbed between March and June by a man dubbed the ``U30 Bandit'' because he was in and out of the banks in less than 30 seconds, apparently escaping in a waiting car.

Earlier in the afternoon an FBI spokeswoman said agents were searching the area for accomplices.

``They're over there trying to figure out if there are accomplices,'' said Special Agent Gail Marcinkiewicz, the FBI public affairs coordinator.

Ken Halperin said the search was centered on his neighbor's house, 105 Country Club Road, near the intersection of Country Club Road and Meadowbrook Road.
Halperin said there were no hostages.

A base for law enforcement was set up in a garage and tent was put up in another yard.

Country Club Road was blocked off and at least a dozen local and state police cars and a SWAT team were on the scene. More than 40 law enforcement officers, as well as curious neighbors, stood in the rain to watch a bomb-detecting robot and several K-9 officers comb the area.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.