An investigation into a string of burglaries in Stafford Township comes to a close with the arrest of two men from New York on Tuesday.

Police say they both played a role in six bank robberies or attempted bank robberies over a ten-day period in mid-January from the 16th to 26th.

James M. Buccanfuso, 41, of 1st Avenue New York, New York and Sergey M. Demidenko, 38, of Brooklyn also face charges for three separate robberies in the Empire State.

Stafford Police say Buccanfuso helped plan the robberies and acted as the getaway driver by parking his Jeep Grand Cherokee away from the scene where he could get to it after fleeing the banks on foot and taking an undisclosed amount of cash from the heists.

Demidenko would go into the banks wearing a zip-up hooded sweatshirt and dark aviator sunglasses. Once in they would pass a robbery note to a teller demanding cash.

Manahawkin bank robbery suspect. (Stafford Township Police Department)
Manahawkin bank robbery suspect. (Stafford Township Police Department)
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Two Stafford Detectives found out the Jeep Grand Cherokee had been in an Atlantic City Casino parking garage and they were able to identify the license plate.

From there they continued tracking the suspect's activities and movements.

On Tuesday both detectives went to Manhattan where they were able to locate both suspects and place them into custody with the assistance of the NYPD.

Demidenko and Buccanfuso were then turned over to the FBI and lodged in jail pending federal bank robbery charges.

On January 24, 2018 they robbed the Wells Fargo Bank at 273 West White Horse Pike in Galloway Township.

On January 26, 2018, there was an attempted robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank located at 297 West Route 72 in Manahawkin, but Demidenko fled the bank after the teller demanded he remove his sunglasses and hood.

Surveillance footage captured the incidents and helped police identify Demidenko's vehicle.

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) was investigating three bank robberies they were allegedly involved in comitting:

  • January 16, 2018 - Capital One Savings Bank located in Park Slope, New York.
  • January 25, 2018 - Roslyn Savings Bank located in Massapequa, New York
  • January 25, 2018 - Chase Bank located at 1722 Avenue U/E 18th Street in Brooklyn, New York.

The public is reminded that criminal charges are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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