Robbery suspect attempts hold-up at Avon bank across from police station

A robbery suspect picked the wrong bank to try to hold up on Thursday, police say.

The Avon Cooperative Bank is across Route 28 from police headquarters — and there was a police officer working a paid detail outside when the suspect attempted the heist, police said.

“Within seconds, police officers were there,” officer George Guilbault said. “The first police officer on the scene who was on a paid detail across the street entered the bank and saw the suspect at the teller window.”

That officer, Sgt. George Houhoulis, along with others who rushed into the bank, arrested the suspect inside the bank in Avon center shortly after 8:30 a.m.

Demetrius James, 19, of Columbia, S.C., was charged by officer Peter Hutchings with unarmed robbery, intimidating to steal from a depository, and assault and battery on a police officer.

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