HATFIELD — Ending a cross-county man-hunt, police say they’ve caught a Springfield man suspected of robbing the People’s United Bank on West Street Christmas Eve morning — reportedly armed with a stick.
Michael V. Taylor, 30, was arrested by police just before 2 p.m. Monday after an hours-long search and a car chase from Northampton to Holyoke down Route 91. The alleged robbery happened at 9:30 a.m. Monday morning. A statement released by the Massachusetts State Police notes the man was “armed with a stick.”
The suspect drove off in a red Jeep carrying an undisclosed amount of cash, according to the report.
“At 9:40 a.m. a state police detective lieutenant observed a red Jeep Liberty on Route 91 southbound in Northampton. The detective lieutenant tried to stop the Jeep but the suspect refused to stop. The suspect bailed out of the Jeep on Route 91 in Holyoke, ran across the highway and into the woods on the northbound side of the highway,” the report continues.
State and local police cars were seen on Route 5 near the Delaney House in Holyoke for a few hours Monday afternoon. At least two police dogs and a drone from Easthampton Police Department were deployed to help with the search.
Eventually, Taylor was found in a tree behind the Holyoke Canoe Club on the edge of the Connecticut River on Old Ferry Road in Holyoke just before 1 p.m.
A statement from Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper notes the “tree branch that the suspect was standing on broke, sending him to the ground, sack of stolen cash in hand. He fled on foot again, but after a brief pursuit, was taken into custody.”
Taylor was arrested by Trooper Shawn LeBlanc, and has been charged with armed robbery, resisting arrest, and failure to stop for police.
A follow-up investigation is currently being overseen by the State Police Detective Unit attached to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office with assistance from the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and other MSP units and local departments. Police officers from Easthampton, Northampton, and Hatfield helped out in the search.
Andy Castillo can be reached at acastillo@gazettenet.com.