Crime & Safety
Stafford Man Arrested in Three Bank Robberies
Cops: local man suspected three robberies over several weeks
Toms River police arrested a Stafford Township man who they say was behind three bank robberies in Toms River over the past several weeks.
Christopher Bayham, 41, of Stowaway Road, was arrested Sunday night and charged in all three robberies after officers noticed a car that matched the description of a suspect vehicle that was apparently used in one of the robberies, Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said Monday.
The vehicle was stopped on Adams Avenue at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon by Officers Jennifer Grob and Samantha Sutter, Mastronardy said.
"The driver provided information that led to the suspect," said Mastronardy.
Bayham is suspected of being behind a July 22 robbery of the OceanFirst branch on Route 37, a July 29 robbery of the Sovereign Bank branch on Route 37 and the Aug. 2 robbery of the OceanFirst branch on Route 70.
Detectives Randy Petrick, Thomas DiMichele, Pat Jaques and Roger Hull, along with FBI agent Tim Flannelly, followed up on the initial investigation, along with Brick Township Police, said Mastronardy. Stafford Township police assisted in the arrest, which took place at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Bayham is being held in the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $400,000 cash bail.
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