Bank Robber Nabbed By Police

After an extensive search, the Cambridge police finally nabbed an armed bank robber Friday morning--but only with the help of a camera-wielding civilian.

A man identifying himself as Dennis Paiva, 46, of Columbia Road in South Boston, was placed in custody after nearly slipping away from the police.

And evidence technician Alysse Cline was the hero of the day. Cline spotted the gun-toting alleged criminal hiding in a car while she was doing something more mundane than catching back robbers--taking photographs.

Around 11 a.m. Friday morning, a white male entered the Porter Square BayBank with a gun. Bank security cameras caught the man vaulting over a counter into an area reserved for bank tellers, said police spokesperson Frank T. Pasquarello.

The bandit was wearing neither a mask nor a disguise, Pasquarello said, but the video camera image was too blurry for the police to determine his identity form the picture alone.

The man proceeded to grab money form locations in the tellers' area. He departed and turned left into an alleyway, police said.

There, a dye pack protecting the money exploded, emitting red dye and tear gas. Banks place dye packs in bundles of money to help stave off robberv. Pasquarello said. When the packs are removed form the bank, they burst.

After the eruption Paiva dropped the bag but scooped up some of the money, according to Pasquarello.

Paiva ran over to a motor vehicle but didn't drive away. Instead, he hid in the back of his hatch-back automobile by climbing in and bulling the seats up.

When police arrived on the scene, they interviewed eyewitnesses who said they saw Paiva enter the vehicle, but didn't subsequently see him.

Police assumed that Paiva was trying to rob the car, according to Pasquarello. But they later discovered that the car actually belonged to Paiva.

"It's very bizarre." Pasquarello said. "It's a new one on me, when they jump in their own car and hide."

The police searched the crime scene and peered in and around the car for about 20 minutes. The doors of the car were locked, and so police were unable to enter. Police found no trace of the thief.

Cline, a technician affiliated with the Cambridge Police Department was at the scene gathering evidence.

She said she was bank when police asked her to photograph the car. The FBI was prepared to tow the car away, she said, making photographs necessary for the investigation.

Cline said she was walking around the car and squatted to take a picture. What she saw next frightened her--the hand of the alleged thief protrud- ing from the back seat.

Cline said she immediately alerted the policeat the scene, whom she said were only a few feetaway. Paiva ultimately emerged from the car with agun but without a fight.

"I was just very, very scared, because they hadjust said to me he had a gun," Cline said.

But she said she didn't let her knowledge ofthe alleged criminal's firearm alarm her--untillater.

"I didn't panic at all at the time," Clinesaid. "But afterward, I was very shaken up."

Paiva will be charged with armed robbery andunlawful possession of a firearm, according toPasquarello

Cline said she immediately alerted the policeat the scene, whom she said were only a few feetaway. Paiva ultimately emerged from the car with agun but without a fight.

"I was just very, very scared, because they hadjust said to me he had a gun," Cline said.

But she said she didn't let her knowledge ofthe alleged criminal's firearm alarm her--untillater.

"I didn't panic at all at the time," Clinesaid. "But afterward, I was very shaken up."

Paiva will be charged with armed robbery andunlawful possession of a firearm, according toPasquarello