Toms River Bank Robbery Prompts Nearby School Precautions

The search is on for two suspects who held up a Santander Bank branch in Toms River late this morning and set off precautionary confinement of students inside a school not far away.

West Dover Elementary underwent a "shelter-in-place" scenario following the robbery that police said took place at 9:23 AM. Children were not in any danger and the status was lifted at 10:58 AM, sources said.

The suspects showed no weapons but took cash, crossed Route 37 and ran northward into the residential Oak Ridge section of town, police said.

The suspects are described as white men in their 20s, between 5'6" and 5'8" in height, wearing dark clothes, hoodies, and turtleneck shirts concealing their faces. One wore sunglasses and one wore black sneakers with yellow stripes, police said.

Police said one person was arrested near Route 37 and Oak Ridge Parkway on charges unrelated to the robbery, which drew agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with Ocean County Sheriff's officers and K-9 teams.

Detective Mark Bajada is leading the township police investigation. He can be reached at 732-349-0150.