Busts Made in Two Bank Heists

It didn't take long for Norwalk police to make two arrests in separate bank robberies. The department had help from the Westport police in one bust; the other involved a Westport man.

First came word that Norwalk Police arrested a Westport man in connection with a bank robbery on Friday. Christopher Wallace, 24, was arrested Friday night and charged with robbery in the first degree for holding up the Fairfield County Savings Bank on New Canaan Avenue in Norwalk. He was also charged with various narcotics offenses stemming from drugs the police found at the time of his arrest. Police Lt. Paul Resnick said they do not believe Wallace had any connection to the bank robbery that occurred in Norwalk on Tuesday afternoon.

The arrest in that earlier robbery came on Saturday. Norwalk police, with help from Westport police, arrested a suspect in the Tuesday robbery of the Fairfield County Savings Bank on Chestnut Hill Road in Norwalk. Westport Police Lt. Jerry Shannon reports the Westport officers had received information that Timothy Nikolis, 24, was wanted in connection with the robbery and was staying at the Gillespie Center, a men's shelter in Westport. Nikolis attempted to flee but was apprehended by Westport police officers, said Shannon.

Norwalk Police took custody of Nikolis and charged him with robbery in the first degree, conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree and larceny in the third degree. He is being held on $150,000 bond. They released no word on the second suspect wanted in connection with that robbery.

In the first arrest, Norwalk detectives identified Wallace from bank surveillance footage and arrested him in a parking lot on Main Avenue in Norwalk, Resnick said. The U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force assisted in the six-hour manhunt. He added that at the time of his arrest, Wallace was in possession of a large quantity of heroin and several thousand dollars in cash. This brought additional charges of possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school, intent to sell narcotics, intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bond was set at $100,000 for the robbery charge and an additional $25,000 for the various narcotics charges. Wallace is expected to be arraigned in the Norwalk Superior Court on Monday.

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