Police catch bank robber shortly after Davis Square heist
By George P. Hassett

    Somerville police, with assistance from the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force, arrested Richard Lee Smart on Monday Nov. 14 for the robbery of the Wainwright Bank at 250 Elm Street in Davis Square.
    At about 2:30 p.m. Nov. 14, a man entered the Wainwright bank and passed a note demanding money.  The teller gave the robber an undisclosed amount of cash with a dye pack included.  The robber fled the bank on foot through Davis Square toward Grove Street where the dye pack exploded.  The robber then ran through a playground and into a house located on Dresden Circle, adjacent to the park. 

   Somerville Police officers, who were responding to the bank hold-up alarm, arrived at the bank and were quickly in pursuit of the subject.  With the help of several cooperating citizens, they were lead to a residence at 11 Dresden Circle where Smart, 26, of Wisconsin, was found hiding in a second floor room.
   He was arrested and charged with armed robbery by Somerville Detective Michael Wyatt and State Police Lieutenant Alan Zani, assigned to the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force.
   But before police found Smart Dresden Circle, they searched unsuccessfully in an adjacent residence, said Kerry Ogarro.   
   ‚ÄúI was sitting in the living room drinking my first cup of coffee of the day when I heard ‚Äòboom, boom, boom ‚Äì Somerville police, open up.‚Äô I opened the door and three cops were there and told me they were going to search the house. And that‚Äôs what they did. They asked me where had I been a couple minutes earlier and what did I know about a bank robbery. I said bank robbery? I don‚Äôt know anything because I‚Äôve been inside all day getting ready for a job interview. Then they left,‚Äù he said.
  Shortly after, police found Smart hiding at 11 Dresden Circle.
  Smart will also be charged with the October 31st robbery of the same bank, said police. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Somerville District Court Nov. 15.