MILFORD, Maine — The man who reportedly robbed the People’s United Bank inside a convenience store on Thursday morning was caught shortly afterward thanks to law enforcement effort and the help of a witness, said Sgt. Wil Sheehan of the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department.
Albert J. Harnois III, 27, of Greenbush — who has a criminal history that dates back to when he was a juvenile, including a 2003 arrest for aggravated attempted murder of the Indian Township police chief — was arrested on a felony robbery charge about 35 minutes after he left the bank.
Harnois walked into the Mobile on the Run, which has a small walk-up bank window and drive-through, and held up the bank at around 11:25 a.m., Sheehan said.
“A witness at the scene followed the suspect” and was able to tell police what type of vehicle the bank robber got into and that he went north on Route 2, the sergeant said. The witness was a man shopping in the store.
“We attempted to stop the vehicle on Route 2, and the suspect pulled over and then proceeded to take off,” Sheehan said.
Maine State Police vehicles were positioned ahead of Harnois and laid down spike mats, which he drove over, disabling the 1999 Audi he was driving. Police took him into custody at 12:05 p.m., charged him with felony robbery and took him to Penobscot County Jail in Bangor.
When Harnois was 20 and living in Princeton, he stabbed Indian Township Police Chief Alexander Nicholas with a razor broadhead aluminum arrow.
He was arrested and charged with aggravated attempted murder for the April 2003 stabbing and later was convicted of a lesser charge, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, Nicholas said on Thursday night.
“He had a lengthy history as a juvenile, too,” the chief said, adding his Kevlar protective vest saved his life.
Harnois was sentenced to three years in prison with all but six months and 15 days suspended for stabbing Nicholas and two years, five months and 15 days for violating his probation. Harnois also was given three years of probation to start after he was released from prison.
Harnois’ criminal history began when he was a juvenile with a November 1999 conviction for reckless conduct. In March 2002, he was fined $400 for criminal mischief and criminal trespass convictions, and in May of that year was convicted of theft and sentenced to 10 days in jail, according to his criminal history record from the Maine State Bureau of Identification.
Harnois received a 90-day suspended sentence and one year of probation for acquiring drugs by deception in July 2002. He was convicted in November of that year for burglary of a motor vehicle, criminal mischief and possession of drugs.
If Harnois is convicted of the felony robbery charge, he could face a penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
Harnois was wearing a red or orange jacket with the hood up, a scarf and sunglasses when he robbed the bank. He left the store, which is located next to the bridge into Old Town, with an undisclosed amount of money and headed toward Milford on foot.
Sheehan said he couldn’t give details about how Harnois robbed the bank, but he confirmed that a butt of a knife was visible during the incident. Old Town police officers, Maine State Police troopers and Maine Warden Service game wardens assisted after the robbery, Sheehan said.
“It was a great coordination between everybody. I can’t stress that enough,” Sheehan said.