Eatontown Police Chief Michael Goldfarb ordered two schools placed on lockdown while police searched for the armed bank robber, authorities said.
EATONTOWN -- A gunman robbed an Eatontown bank on Thursday morning, prompting the temporary lockdown of two local schools while police were concerned the suspect may still have been in the area.
Eatontown police responded to a call at 9:22 a.m. of a robbery of the TD Bank at Wyckoff Road and Route 36, said acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.
The officers determined a man robbed the bank at gunpoint and ran off with an undetermined amount of cash, Gramiccioni said.
The suspect was described as a black man wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and baggy jeans. He was carrying a semi-automatic handgun and was last seen running toward Laurel Gardens Apartments on Laurel Place, Gramiccioni said.
The FBI, the prosecutor's office and the K-9 units of Tinton Falls police and the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office helped Eatontown police at the scene, he said.
Eatontown Memorial and the Vetter schools were placed on lockdown at the request of Eatontown Police Chief Michael Goldfarb as a precaution while police searched the area, the prosecutor said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who has information about the robbery or suspect is urged to contact prosecutor's Detective Pat Petruzziello at 800-533-7443 or Eatontown Detective Aaron Shaw at 732-389-7649.
MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
