Robber threatens to blow up Newark Shopping Center bank

A bank in Newark Shopping Center was robbed Monday morning by a man who threatened to blow up the building.

Workers at the PNC Bank received a call just after 9 a.m. from a man who demanded that workers leave cash outside the bank for him to pick up, said Newark police spokesman Lt. Mark Farrall. The caller said there was a bomb in the bank and threatened to detonate it if his demands were not met.

After bank workers placed an undisclosed amount of money outside, a man approached on foot, took the cash and fled toward Main Street.

Police arrived and used a bomb-sniffing dog to search the area. No bomb was found.

The robber was wearing a dark-colored jacket and light-colored pants, Farrall said.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to to contact Det. Mike Watson at

(302) 366-7110, ext. 133 or michael.watson@cj.state.de.us. PNC Bank is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the robbery.