Crime & Safety

Village Bank Robbed in Newton, Suspect Apprehended

The Waban bank was robbed around 9 a.m. Friday.

Updated 1:10 p.m.

The suspect who robbed the Village Bank in Waban this morning has been identified by Newton Police as Payton R. Lashon, 37, of Boston, according to Newton Police Lt. Bruce Apotheker. 

Lashon was apprehended by Newton Police shortly after he robbed the bank. He is charged with armed robbery and resisting arrest. 

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11:42 a.m. 

According to Newton Fire Deputy Mike Castro, the substance the suspect sprayed in the bank was green and was contained in a 16-ounce plastic bottle. The substance has been deemed not harmful, but it is still unidentified.

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The substance will be taken to a state lab for testing and identification. 

A 27-year-old employee was sent to the hospital for evaluation along with two paramedics. They have since been released.

10:40 a.m. 

According to Newton Lt. Bruce Apotheker, who is updating the press at the scene, the person who attempted to rob the bank was a 37-year-old Boston man who was apprehended by detail officers on Chestnut Street. 

Police say the suspect was wearing a hoodie and a black backpack and was acting suspiciously outside the bank. A customer spotted the suspect wearing sunglasses and pacing outside in the rain.

Just as a customer alerted the bank staff about the suspicious party, the suspect reportedly went in the bank, sprayed an unknown liquid on the bank counter, leaned over, grabbed money and fled the scene. 

The suspect then fled the scene and police officers working a detail nearby apprehended the suspect on Chestnut Street.

The bottle used in the incident was a water bottle with a pull up-type sports top. One employee was taken to and six others are currently isolated.

Scanner reports indicate the State hazmat team has arrived on scene to evaluate the substance.

According to Apotheker, this is the third time this bank has been robbed. 

9:45 a.m. Police have the Village Bank taped off at the moment. According to Patch Correspondent , the scene is now a hazmat incident as there is an unknown substance inside the bank.

A few people have been isolated for evaluation, Walsh reported, and a couple of people have been taken to the hospital.

Posted earlier:

Newton Police have responded to the Village Bank in Waban this morning after a reported robbery. 

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According to scanner reports, there was a pursuit of the suspect following the robbery. The Newton Fire Department reported on Twitter (@NewtonFireDept) the suspect is in custody

Scanner reports also indicated someone was sprayed with a chemical following the robbery and the Fire Department is now responding to the scene to evaluate that party. 

Last March, the Bank of America just a few doors down in Waban (Woodward Street) . 

Newton Patch will have more information as it becomes available. 


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