Stafford Police Charge New York Duo In Multiple Bank Robberies

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ - Stafford detectives recently arrested two New York City men suspected of numerous bank robberies in the southern Ocean County area, according to the police department's Facebook page.

Detective Drew Smith and Detective Sergeant David Johnson arrested James M. Buccanfuso, 41, New York City and Sergey M. Demidenko, 38, Brooklyn, for committing six bank robberies or attempted bank robberies between Jan. 16, 2018 and Jan. 20 in New Jersey and New York.

The robberies included the Stafford Township Chase Bank robbery on Jan. 18, 2018, and the attempted bank robbery of the Stafford Township Wells Fargo Bank on Jan. 26, 2018.

Detective Smith and Detective Sergeant Johnson learned that Sergey Demidenko had entered each of the six banks wearing a zip-up hooded sweatshirt and dark aviator sunglasses, and passed a robbery note demanding cash. In one robbery, he was caught on video surveillance sucking a lollipop as he demanded dash from the teller. He would then flee on foot from the banks after receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, according to the post.

Buccanfuso helped plan the robberies, parked his 2012 green Jeep Grand Cherokee away from the scenes and acted as the getaway driver. Demidenko and Buccanfuso would split the proceeds, and travel back and forth from New York to Atlantic City, the post states.

The Stafford Township Police Department’s investigation began with the robbery of the Chase Bank located at 447 Martin Truex Blvd in Manahawkin. On Jan. 24, 2018, the pair robbed the Wells Fargo Bank at 273 West White Horse Pike in Galloway Township. On Jan. 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 police learned that Demidenko had fled the scene in 2012 model Jeep Grand Cherokee with an unknown New York license plate.

When Smith and Johnson contacted the New York City Police Department, they were told New York had similar bank robberies involving a subject matching Demidenko’s description. The New York City Police Department was investigating these three bank robberies:

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

Smith and Johnson learned the Jeep Grand Cherokee had been in an Atlantic City Casino parking garage, and were able to identify the license plate. They began tracking the suspect’s activities and movements.

Detective Drew Smith and Detective David Johnson went to Manhattan on Jan. 30, where they located both subjects and took them into custody with help from the NYPD. Demidenko and Buccanfuso were then turned over to the FBI. They are in jail pending pending federal bank robbery charges.

Video surveillance photo courtesy of the Stafford Township Police Department