Va. Man Accused of Double Bank Heist in N.J.

CAMDEN, N.J. – In a dramatic turn of events, Virginia native Bruce Wayne Higgins, 43, stood before federal court today charged with the audacious double heist of New Jersey banks.

Higgins, a resident of Herndon, Virginia, is accused by complaint of robbing a TD Bank in Ocean City and a Wells Fargo Bank in Atlantic City. The alleged criminal activities took place on December 15, 2016, and December 16, 2017, respectively.

The first incident unfolded at the TD Bank in Ocean City when Higgins presented a teller with a chilling note demanding cash at gunpoint. He made off with an undetermined amount of money before vanishing into the night. Law enforcement quickly issued a bulletin with surveillance footage, leading to Higgins’s identification.

Just a year later, Higgins walked into another TD Bank in Atlantic City, this time triggering the bank’s hold-up alarm. As he attempted to flee, Atlantic City Police Department (ACPD) officers were on his tail. The chase led them to Higgins as he was mid-robbery at a nearby Wells Fargo Bank, armed with yet another ominous note: “Gun in Pocket, Money Now or Bang now.”

Higgins has been detained at the Atlantic County Jail since his capture, facing state charges related to the robberies. If convicted on the federal counts, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each bank robbery count.

Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick praised the collaborative efforts of various law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Ocean City Police Department, Atlantic City Police Department, Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, and Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig, with defense counsel provided by Lori Koch Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender.

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