United States Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey

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Newark, New Jersey 07102

Ralph J. Marra, Jr., Acting U.S. Attorney

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Assistant U.S. Attorney:
HARVEY BARTLE, IV, 609-656-2504

biel0312.rel
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2009

Ocean County Man Indicted for Series of Bank Robberies

TRENTON - A Brick man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for allegedly committing six bank robberies in Ocean, Middlesex and Monmouth counties, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced.

Peter A. Bielecke, 40, of Brick, is named in a six-count Indictment charging bank robbery.

The defendant is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court in the next couple of weeks.

Bielecke has been in state custody on charges filed by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office for the Jan. 29 robbery of the Provident Bank in Brick.

The Indictment alleges that Bielecke committed the following robberies:

Jan. 29, 2009, Provident Bank in Brick, of approximately $1,851;
Feb. 5, 2009, Investors Savings Bank in Brick, of approximately $1,385;
Feb. 12, 2009, Sovereign Bank in Toms River, of approximately $1,435;
Feb. 19, 2009, Investors Savings Bank in Lakewood, of approximately $1,323;
Feb. 27, 2009, Garden State Community Bank in Howell, of approximately $2,881;
March 5, 2009, Synergy Bank in Old Bridge, of approximately $3,000.

Bielecke's arrest on March 5 was the result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation into bank robberies that were committed on consecutive Thursdays in January and February.

Each count of bank robbery carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Despite the Indictment, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Marra credited Special Agents of the FBI's Red Bank Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun in Newark; Investigators with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford; Investigators with the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin; and Police Officers with the police departments of Brick, Toms River, Lakewood, Howell, Old Bridge, Wall, Berkeley Township, Jackson, Manchester, Point Pleasant and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office, for the investigation leading to the Indictment.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harvey Bartle of the U.S.
Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Trenton.