A 40-year-old man from Martha's Vineyard, Petar Petyoshin, is facing federal charges for an armed bank robbery that took place in Falmouth, Massachusetts, on April 8, 2023. Petyoshin allegedly entered the Rockland Trust Bank just before 9 a.m. disguised in a blonde wig and carrying what appeared to be a bomb, which he placed on the teller counter. He then brandished a firearm and announced the robbery.

According to charging documents, Petyoshin ordered bank employees and customers to restrain each other with zip ties. He then forced two tellers to fill a brown Walmart bag with approximately $20,000 in cash. After securing the money, he allegedly stole a customer's car keys and escaped in the vehicle.

Surveillance video shows a person matching Petyoshin's description parking a gray van near the bank shortly before the robbery and returning to it roughly 15 minutes later. The van was later seen heading towards Mashpee. Investigators identified Petyoshin as the van's registered owner and used cell phone data to place him in Falmouth at the time of the crime.

Petyoshin was initially arrested on state charges related to the robbery on May 23, 2023. During a search of his Edgartown residence, authorities discovered a significant amount of cash bundled in Rockland Trust money bands, zip ties, clothing matching the robber's attire, and a substantial arsenal of nearly 60 firearms and ammunition.

Currently held in state custody, Petyoshin will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. If convicted of armed bank robbery, he could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.