SWAMPSCOTT — Police are investigating an attempted armed robbery that took place outside a bank in Vinnin Square.
At approximately 1 a.m. Wednesday, an officer was flagged down by the victim, a male driver in the area of 980 Paradise Road.
The man, who had beeped his horn to get the officer’s attention and appeared to be nervous, said four men had attempted to rob him at the drive-up ATM at Bank of America, which is located in the Swampscott Mall, Police Sgt. Jonathan Locke said.
The man said he had been trying to withdraw money from the ATM, when a vehicle with four occupants pulled up to him. One of the occupants got out of the vehicle, and demanded money; the person showed a gun while making these demands, Locke said.
While the suspect’s gun was never pointed at the victim, it was being held in full view, in front of the suspect’s body. No money was taken during the incident, Locke said.
The victim told police the four suspects were all wearing ski masks. The driver was wearing a red-and-black mask and all four were wearing hooded sweatshirts. The victim said the suspect vehicle was a brown SUV, and one of its headlights was out, Locke said.
Another Swampscott officer who had been traveling en route to the scene reported seeing the suspect vehicle, a brown SUV with one working headlight, heading toward the city of Lynn, Locke said.
The attempted armed robbery and a description of the SUV was provided to police departments in surrounding cities and towns. Shortly after, State Police troopers from the Revere barracks found the described vehicle near the Wonderland Station. The vehicle had broken down in the southbound lane in front of the train station, before reaching the rotary, Locke said.
A Swampscott police officer responded to Wonderland, and confirmed this was the vehicle he had seen while en route to the attempted robbery scene, Locke said.
At this time, there were two occupants in the suspect vehicle. Police identified the driver as Able RuizDelarosa, 27, but did not provide the name of the male passenger. The driver told police that there were two other people at the scene, but they had gone to get fuel. The driver said the vehicle had run out of gas, which was why they were parked on the roadway, Locke said.
RuizDelarosa, of Roxbury, was arrested by State Police and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He, along with the other vehicle’s occupants, have not been charged in the robbery, Locke said.
A firearm was not recovered at the scene. The incident is under investigation by detectives from the Swampscott Police Department, Locke said.
“Swampscott Police feel that this is an isolated incident and (there is) no threat to the community going further,” said Locke. “The Swampscott Police caution anyone using an ATM to be aware of their surroundings while they are conducting their business. The Swampscott Police are in the process of collecting video from the surrounding area, at the time of the reported attempted armed robbery.”
