In the past week, six New England banks, including one in Middletown, have been robbed, reportedly all by a woman claiming to carry explosives. The main suspect, Heather Brown, a 35-year old resident of Norwich, Conn., has yet to be apprehended.

The initial two robberies occurred last Monday and Tuesday at Citizens Bank in Montville, Conn. and at the Washington Trust Bank in Westerly, RI. On Wednesday, the robberies hit close to home when a woman walked into TD Banknorth on Washington Street in Middletown. A female described as white, heavy-set, about 5’5” and in her 20s or 30s, held a note demanding cash and placed a bag on the counter which she told the teller contained a bomb. The suspect then fled the scene, leaving behind the bag, which was examined by the emergency response bomb squad and determined to have contained no explosives.

According to The Associated Press, police have named Brown the person of interest in the investigation. Brown has been on probation for a 2006 bank robbery in Groton, CT.

After the Tuesday burglary in Westerly, Ronald Hayes, a 50-year old Norwich, Conn. resident, was apprehended. According to The Middletown Press, the Rhode Island theft involved a man and a woman matching Brown’s description. The two walked into Washington Bank together and announced that they were armed with explosives. The suspects left with cash, taking a taxi that police later apprehended with only the male suspect inside. Hayes has been charged with second-degree robbery and is scheduled to appear at the District Court on Wednesday.

Since the Middletown robbery, West Springfield, Mass., East Hartford, Conn. and Windsor, Conn. have all experienced similar robberies.

No details have been released on Brown’s whereabouts or on other potential suspects. The case remains under investigation with no injuries or explosives reported.

Anyone who may have information regarding the thefts is asked to call Connecticut State police, (860) 848-6500.