Burlington

Bank robbery suspect tried but failed to enter sleeping family’s home

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Third, fourth Burlington area banks robbed yesterday

Screenshot from October 24, 1 AM home surveillance video

The suspect in two recent Burlington bank robberies tried to remove the window screens from a New North End home last week, police say.

Also, South Burlington police report that the East Rise Credit Union on Shelburne Road was robbed at about 5 PM yesterday, Tuesday, October 29, by a lone individual who claimed he possesses “an incendiary device,” WCAX reports. And Winooski police say the TD Bank was robbed Tuesday at about 4:15 PM when a lone individual presented a note to the teller and left with cash, WCAX said. It is not clear whether this robbery is connected to the two Burlington robberies.

James Plunkett, 39, of Burlington has a lengthy catch-and-release, failure to appear, and conviction record, as provided by Burlington police. He allegedly added to that list by attempting to rob the M&T Bank on Pine Street Saturday, October 26 (claiming he had a bomb), and the Key Bank on Bank St. Monday, October 28.

Now police say that on October 24, a resident in the New North End discovered a person had removed the window screens from all the windows of their home. Fortunately, the resident had locked those windows that very day, and was able to avoid the suspect breaking into their home while their family was sleeping, police say. 

“Given Plunkett’s continued brazen and dangerous crimes, the Burlington Police Department is urgently asking the public for assistance in locating Plunkett as soon as possible,” police spokesperson Sarah Timm said Tuesday, October 29.

Anyone with information about this incident or has information regarding Plunkett’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department at (802) 658-2704.

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Categories: Burlington, Crime

12 replies »

  1. If this repeat offender wants to safely enter someones home, Burlington is a safe place to do it, especially if he uses the campaign season signs to guide his choice. If he picks a house with a Kamala sign out front, they may regard him the victim of an uncaring society and make him something to eat.

    • Even better: The “hate has no home here” lawn sign – essentially, a vacancy sign for anyone (including criminals) needing refuge.

  2. Why the urgency to capture this punk? Sarah George will just turn him loose the next day.

  3. James Plunkett, 39, of Burlington has a lengthy catch-and-release, failure to appear, and conviction record, as provided by Burlington police. He allegedly added to that list by attempting to rob the M&T Bank on Pine Street Saturday, October 26 (claiming he had a bomb), and the Key Bank on Bank St. Monday, October 28.

    Plunkett is just the normal scourge you see roaming the nights in Burlington, and yes let’s ” thank “Sarah George’s Office for allow this POS to be out and about…………

    Pretty pathetic, Oh yeah who punched this moron in the eye ??? he’s a beauty.

    • This thief looks like ‘Pete the Pup,’ the American dog actor from the 1930’s Hal Roach “Our Gang” comedy series, though I would not want to malign ‘Pete the Pup’ with the comparison. ‘Pete the Pup’ was of much better character than this dirt bag, who is just a bad actor in the continuing drama of Burlington’s crime scene…
      The Right Mark

    • Someone needs to give this loser a matching shiner on the other eye! Any volunteers?

  5. UPDATE: HE HAS BEEN ARRESTED.
    How long until the judge releases this repeat offenders Idk….today?

  6. Why on earth are the police looking for him? They’ll just release him again and again and again. The only cure for him is execution on site

    • It’s best to refer to it as “justifiable homicide” in defense of self or others…