Arrest made in connection with Manalapan robbery

Acting Special Agent In Charge Kevin Cruise of the FBI’s Newark Field Office has announced the arrest of Scott Mackay Jr., 47, of Toms River, in connection with multiple bank robberies in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Mackay was arrested on Jan. 30.

According to the criminal complaint, the Wachovia Bank at 108 Lacey Road in Manchester was robbed at about 1:11 p.m. on Oct. 15, 2009. The robber was a white male with a moustache, wearing a dark baseball cap and a dark hooded sweatshirt. The robber presented the teller a demand note for which he received a sum of money and then fled the bank in a green four-door Ford sedan.

A similar robbery occurred at the Wachovia Bank at 3 Highway 9 in Manalapan on Jan. 28 at about 1:30 p.m. The robber in that crime fit the description of the robber in the Oct. 15, 2009 Manchester robbery and had the same modus operandi. He fled the bank with a sum of money, according to a press release from the FBI.A

police bulletin with the bank robber’s physical description and bank surveillance photograph was disseminated to law enforcement in the area. A police officer recognized the image of the robber in the photograph as Scott Mackay.

Further investigation confirmed that Mackay had rented a vehicle matching the description of the getaway vehicle used in the robbery of the Wachovia Manchester Branch. That rental vehicle was returned by Mackay on Oct. 15, 2009 after the time of the robbery.

On Jan. 30, 2010, two similar robberies occurred, allegedly committed by a robber fitting the description of Scott Mackay. Later that day, Mackay was arrested and interviewed. According to the complaint, law enforcement officers were able to confirm that Mackay robbed both the Manchester and Manalapan branches of Wachovia Bank as well as seven other banks since February 2009.

“The cooperation between law enforcement in this matter was remarkable,” Cruise said. “Willingboro, Toms River, Ocean Township, Brick Township, Manchester, Manalapan, Stafford Township, and the prosecutor’s offices in both Ocean and Monmouth counties, they all functioned together with us like a well-oiled machine. I want to publicly thank all of them for a job well done.”

Mackay was scheduled for his initial appearance on Feb. 5 before Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni, U.S. Magistrate Judge in Trenton. If eventually convicted, Mackay faces up to 20 years in prison plus fines for each count of bank robbery.

The FBI said it is the policy of the agency not to disclose the amount of money obtained by suspects in bank robberies.