The man accused of robbing a credit union with a sawed off shotgun pleaded not guilty Monday to all the charges laid against him.
Bradley Tomeck appeared at the Thunder Bay Superior Court of Justice for his trial Monday morning. Police charged the 22-year-old, who lives outside of Nipigon, in January with multiple charges, including a firearm’s offence and robbery.
According to the agreed statement of facts, the robbery took place at the Credit Union near Rosslyn Road and Highway 130 around 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 19. Using a 12-guaged sawed off shotgun, the suspect took a large bag filled with more than $3,000 in cash and fled on foot.
Dianne Newton, the bank’s supervisor, and Jenny Groenheide, a teller, opened the Credit Union on the Sunday and had two regular clients come in.
Newton, who testified at the trial, said she was busy working when she noticed someone go by one of the bank’s windows. She described the person as bundled up, wearing a balaclava and a hood. Given the cold weather, she said she didn’t think anything of it.
“I thought it was Bradley Tomeck,” Newton told the court. “I finished what I was doing and looked up and he had moved over a bit and then I saw the gun. I stayed where I was and I didn’t move. I slid a bag to the teller and told her to put the money in.”
She said the robber asked for car keys but when no one gave him any he fled on foot. Newton called the police while Groenheide locked the doors.
Newton, Groenheide, and the two customers waited in silence for the police to arrive.
“We went through enough robbery training to know not to talk about it,” she said.
When police arrived, she told them about her suspicions.
She couldn’t pinpoint exactly why she thought it was Tomeck, who was a regular member at the credit union, but said the way the robber walked and how he stood just gave her that impression.
Groenheide, who also testified on Monday, said she also had a feeling that the masked robber may have been Tomeck because of the way he stood and she recognized his eyes.
Groenheide said she could recognize the robbery as Tomeck because she regular met with him as a member of the credit union.
“I almost said ‘Brad, why are you dressed so warmly? It’s not that cold out,” Groenheide said.
“When he asked for the money I saw the gun. I had no desire to enter a conversation with him.”
The trial resumes Tuesday morning.
