Man charged with robbing 2 Lynn banks held on $50G

SALEM – Bail for a New Hampshire man charged with robbing two Lynn banks in a two-day span two months ago was set at $50,000 cash following his arraignment on Wednesday in Salem Superior Court.Jon Coakley, 39, of 92 Lowell St., #2, Manchester, N.H., pleaded innocent to two counts of armed robbery before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley.The judge set the high bail at the joint recommendation of the prosecutor and defense and continued the case to Jan. 27 for a pretrial conference.In the meantime, Coakley remains held in lieu of bail at the Middleton Jail.The charges occurred out of two bank robberies in Lynn involving holdups at the Salem Five Cent Savings Bank and The River Works Credit Union.According to reports, on the late morning of Oct. 29, the suspect walked into the Salem Five Cent Savings Bank branch located at 35 Boston St., wearing what was described as a dark jacket and baseball cap.He walked up to the female teller and handed a note demanding cash. The very frightened teller turned over about $900 in cash and he fled from the bank on foot.The teller told authorities that the would-be-robber brandished what appeared to be a handgun during the commission of the bank robbery.Two days later on Oct. 31, the suspect walked into the River Works Credit Union located at 947 Western Ave., again handing a note demanding cash and fleeing with about $2,218.Although no weapon was actually shown during the bank robbery, the note written indicated he was armed.Before leaving the bank, the suspect grabbed the note.Lynn police detective Robert Ferrari, reviewing the banks’ video reportedly recognized Coakley and a warrant was issued.Coakley was arrested a few days later and reportedly gave a statement implicating himself in both holdups.