UPDATE: Berlin man indicted for March bank robbery
A Berlin man has been indicted by a federal grand jury, on charges linking him to an armed bank robbery in March.
On Thursday, 53-year-old Jeff Hare was indicted on charges of armed bank robbery, carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. According to the three count indictment, on March 13, Hare walked into the BB&T branch on Racetrack Road in Berlin, wearing a ski mask and brandishing a handgun, and announced that he had a handgun, and was robbing the bank.
The documents go on to say that Hare said that he only wanted $50 and $100 bills, and no dye packs, before going to each teller to collect the cash. Hare also apparently demanded the teller’s purses and car keys, but they said they didn’t have access to them. The indictment claims that Hare got about $2,850 from the tellers.
The indictment also alleges that Hare found an employee locked in a back room, which he then forced his way into, demanding her purse and keys, which she turned over. Hare then apparently fled from the bank parking lot in the employee’s 2007 Kia Spectra, before abandoning it at a nearby business.
Hare now apparently faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for the armed bank robbery charges, a maximum of 15 years in prison for the carjacking charge, and a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
An initial appearance has reportedly not yet been scheduled, but Hare remains behind bars on related state charges.
