Alleged Bank Robber Suspected in Local Heists

A Worcester woman charged with robbing the Eastern Bank on Lynn Street in Peabody this past Friday is being held on $100,000 cash bail and is a suspect in two other recent robberies in the area.

Marnie Tomasian, 40, of Worcester, is charged with one count of armed robbery for Friday's incident in South Peabody. She was arrested in Chelsea on Monday and arraigned in Peabody District Court Tuesday afternoon.

The other two robberies appear to be one Sept. 1 at a TD Bank in Revere and Aug. 26 at Eastern Bank in Lynnfield. Prosecutors revealed Tomasian was a suspect in two other robberies on Tuesday, but did not give details and neither did Peabody police, beyond that she was a suspect in similar incidents.

According to police, a female suspect with a bandanna covering her head entered the bank at 102 Lynn St. in Peabody shortly after 3 p.m. on Friday and passed a note to a female teller, demanding money and threatening that she had a weapon.

No weapon was actually shown and police haven't indicated there is any evidence to suggest she really did have one.

The teller, however, told police she was scared for her life, so much so that she didn't even count how much money was in her cash drawer, according to a police report.

In addition to demanding "all [her] money," the note stated: "I have a weapon," police said. A tally by the bank determined the robber made off with approximately $4,500, according to police.

The suspect then fled the scene, but was caught on surveillance footage. Police quickly released images of the suspect, requesting the public's help in identifying the woman.

It wasn't until an anonymous female tipster saw those images online that Tomasian was identified. That woman told police Tomasian had actually visited a relative of hers and bragged about robbing a bank or banks recently.

She allegedly remarked to them about the effectiveness of wearing a "doo rag" or a bandanna on her head during a robbery.

The tipster also told police Tomasian had "severe" cocaine and gambling addictions and she had recently returned to the area after spending a year living in Florida.

Meanwhile, based on surveillance images released in two other recent robberies at banks in Revere and Lynnfield, police believed they were all after the same person. According to the police report, there was also a booking image from 2008 to compare.

John Lalikos, a court-appointed attorney for the hearing, attempted to cast doubt on the certainty of Tomasian's identification as the suspect.

He said the fact police are relying on two anonymous sources, who may have their own hidden motives, and police say they "strongly believe" she is the person captured on surveillance footage, makes it seem as if they're not really sure.

"My client's record is very minimal," Lalikos said, noting a past OUI conviction 20 years ago and an assault case that ended without a finding. "To go from those charges to bank robbery is quite a leap," he said.

If Tomasian does make bail -- it was set high because she's considered a possible flight risk -- she will be subject to house arrest and a GPS monitoring bracelet. Tomasian's also ordered to submit to random drug and alcohol screening and treatment.

A status hearing was set for Nov. 12. Lalikos did remark that he expected an indictment to be forthcoming, given the nature of the case.

The investigation on the Peabody robbery was headed up by Detective Robert Church and the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force.