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Man suspected in Monroe Co. bank robberies

(AP) A Dunmore man charged with robbing a Wayne County bank Wednesday is a suspect in at least 13 other bank jobs that police said netted him about $200,000 over two years.

Police said the robberies, which spanned Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne and Monroe counties, share similarities: The robber hid his face, wore a hat and a hood, covered his hands and brought his own bag. He always carried a gun and appeared to wear a bulletproof vest. He used similar language in his demands for money, including requesting multiple cash drawers from tellers.William Fischer, 45, is charged only with Wednesday's robbery of People's Security Bank, 534 Main St. in Lehigh Township.He's accused of walking into the bank around 10 a.m., pointing a gun at employees and demanding money. He walked out with about $17,000 after telling employees he wanted "all the money in reserve drawers and from the drive through," according to arrest paperwork.Security footage from both the bank and a home across the street show Fischer getting away in a red Hyundai Elantra without a license plate, police said.By 10:22 a.m., state police at Blooming Grove spotted the car, which Fischer rented in Scranton, 9 miles from the bank and with a New Jersey license plate on the car's rear.When they pulled Fischer over in Dreher Township, he handed police his license and Lackawanna County firearms permit and told an officer he had loaded guns in the trunk of the car.He also told police he was on his way to a firing range in Henryville after visiting his mother in Gouldsboro.Officers arrested Fischer and charged him with robbery, possessing instruments of crime, terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.He is being held at Wayne County Prison on $500,000 bail.His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 27 at 9 a.m. at the Wayne County Courthouse.He is also a suspect in robberies in First Keystone Bank in Stroudsburg, on March 21, 2016; First National Bank, Pocono Township, on Oct. 3, 2016, and on Aug. 7, 2017, and First Keystone Bank, Stroudsburg, on Oct. 27, 2016.