Police Arrest Two Men in Connection to CU Robberies

Police arrested two men in connection with two separate credit union robberies in Delaware and Virginia last Saturday.

Delaware State Police announced on Thursday the arrest of 53-year-old Timothy Halsey of Bear, Del., for the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union branch robbery and a subsequent carjacking. And on Wednesday, Newport News Police in Virginia arrested the alleged getaway driver, 45-year-old Martel Joffrion, after the robbery of a Navy Federal Credit Union branch on Jefferson Avenue that left another suspect dead.

Last Saturday morning, Halsey walked into the Franklin Mint branch on Quintilo Drive and presented a demand note to an employee for money.

The suspect then ransacked the property of employees before he fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. After fleeing the credit union’s branch, Halsey ran about 1,000 feet to a parking lot and approached an occupied Honda minivan and demanded the driver hand over the keys. After the victim gave Halsey the keys, he fled the scene.

An investigation led police to identify Halsey as a suspect and obtained an arrest warrant for him.

On Tuesday, while Wilmington Police Department officers were conducting a traffic stop, they identified Halsey as a passenger in the vehicle and arrested him.

Halsey was arraigned during a local court hearing on three felony counts of robbery, two felony counts of attempted robbery, theft of a motor vehicle and theft under $1,500, according to police.

Halsey is in jail on a $28,000 cash bond.

In the Navy Federal branch robbery case, Joffrion has been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, entering a bank armed with intent to commit larceny while armed, conspiracy to commit grand larceny and possession of ammunition by a violent felon, according to local news site, WAVY.com.

Police said Joffrion was the driver of the vehicle, which was cornered by police a few minutes after the bank robbery occurred. Joffrion and a woman in the front seat exited the vehicle in response to officer commands and were detained, WAVY.com reported.

Another man in the getaway car was 39-year-old Steven Williams of Hampton.

After Williams got out of the vehicle with a firearm in his hand, he allegedly pointed it in the direction of police officers, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said.

After police shot Williams, he was transported to a hospital, where he died.

Police said Williams allegedly showed a weapon during the Navy Federal robbery and was given a bag that contained an undisclosed sum of money.

Information about the third female suspect has not been disclosed by police.