Connecticut State Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection

Connecticut State Police Patch STATE OF CONNECTICUT
Department of Public Safety
1111 Country Club Road
Middletown, Connecticut 06457		  
Contact: 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2007

              STATE POLICE MAKE SECOND ARREST IN BANK ROBBERY   

     On 10/18/06, the State Police Major Crime Squad at Troop F investigated an armed robbery at New Alliance Bank in Centerbrook involving a white male brandishing a handgun. The suspect jumped the counter and demanded money from the tellers before fleeing the bank.  

     On 11/07/2006, the Major Crime Squad responded to the New Alliance Bank in Chester for another armed robbery involving a white male brandishing a handgun.  As with the above robbery, the suspect jumped the counter and demanded money from the tellers before fleeing the bank.

      After a lengthy investigation State Police Detectives identified two suspects responsible for these bank robberies. Arrest warrant applications were submitted to court for the arrest of the suspects.  The Superior Court in Middletown subsequently issued two arrest warrants for both suspects in these cases.

ARRESTED: #1  Shane Kerpen, (37) of 29 Cypress Road in Old Saybrook, CT.,

                     

                #2 Elena Cook, (36) of LKA 29 Cypress Road, Old Saybrook, CT.

                                 (arrested on 2/8/07)

CHARGES :     2(cts.) of Robbery First Degree

                        2(cts.) of Conspiracy to commit Robbery First Degree

                        Larceny in the First Degree

                        Conspiracy to commit Larceny in the first Degree

                        Larceny in the Second Degree 

                        Conspiracy to commit Larceny in the Second Degree

                 

On 02/26/07, State Police Detectives arrested Kerpen at GA 9 in Middletown where he was being presented for an unrelated charge.  Kerpen was formally charged with the above crimes and a $500,000.00 court set bond was set.  Kerpen is the second person arrested in conjunction with these bank robberies.

NOTE: On 02/08/07, Elena Cook was apprehended in Westbrook without incident and was charged with the above listed crimes.  Cook is being held on a $100,000.00 court set bond and is currently incarcerated at the York Correctional Center in Niantic.            

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Lt. J. Paul Vance