Saugus Eastern Bank Robbed; Suspect Arrested: Police

SAUGUS, MA — A man has been arrested in connection with a robbery at Eastern Bank on Monday afternoon, Saugus police said.

At 12:17 p.m., Saugus police dispatchers received a wireless alarm from the Eastern Bank located at 605 Broadway, Saugus, police said. While officers were en route, they were told dispatchers had confirmed a robbery at the bank.

Responding officers learned that a suspect passed a note to two tellers inside the bank, received an undisclosed amount of cash, then fled on foot toward the parking lot of a large retailer at 400 Lynn Fells Parkway, police said.

Saugus Police then received a call reporting a "suspicious male" asking for rides in that parking lot, which is located a few hundred yards from the bank, police said.

Police responding to the parking lot located an individual whom they later identified as Gary Lacey, 48, of Tewksbury.

Lacey was taken into custody following an on-scene investigation, police said, and was charged with two counts of unarmed robbery.

Police recovered the cash that was taken from the bank.

Lacey was not in possession of any weapons when he was taken into custody, and no weapons were displayed during the robbery, police said.

Lacey is scheduled to be arraigned in Lynn District Court on Tuesday.