The man charged with robbing the Navy Federal Credit Union in Groton was bound to not get far, considering what he took.
A Groton Police report said the teller at the credit union was terrified for her life when a New London man handed her a white piece of paper with the words, “I HAVE A GUN PUT THE MONEY IN THE BAG.”
She handed him $5,501 and a bundle of $2,000. But there was something else hidden in the money: a GPS tracking transmitter.
The device is activated once the teller removes it from the drawer, according to a police report filed in New London Superior Court.
“At the same time of the 911 calls, the GPS tracking system activated,” the police report said. “The Groton Emergency Communication center was able to track the location of the device in real time and relay the location to responding officers.”
Police tracked it westbound on Gungywamp Road to Route 12, then to Crystal Lake Road, then through the entrance of Naval Submarine Base New London. The device then indicated the person was trying to leave the base via Shark Drive.
Groton notified Sub Base police and they closed all entrances and exits. Officers then began searching cars on Shark Drive one by one.
Within 15 minutes, they found a man fitting the teller’s description in one of the cars with a duffel bag in the back seat. They also found a clear plastic bag containing $3,601, and another bundle of $2,000, the police report said. Another $1,093 was found in the purse of a woman he was traveling with, the report said.
In the center console, police found a .32 caliber pistol with five rounds; there was no round in the chamber, the report said.
Kevin A. Dew, Jr., 28, of 225 Coleman St. in New London, was charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal use of a firearm, possession of a pistol without a permit and possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle.
“Dew denied any involvement with the robbery,” the police report said. “Dew then admitted to participating in the robbery with a second person who Dew claims actually committed the robbery.”
Dew has not entered a plea, but is being held on $150,000 bond, according to court records. His case has been continued until Sept. 25.
