Update: Police Apprehend Suspect in Zelienople Bank Robbery

After a two-hour hunt, a Mercer County man suspected of robbing the Monday is in police custody.

Zelienople Police Chief Jim Miller said Matthew Chestnut, 35, of Brent Road in Grove City, turned himself in at about 4 p.m. after state police went to his parents' home in Liberty Township.

He is charged with robbery, receiving stolen property, attempting to elude police and driving with a suspended license. 

Miller said Chestnut, who was wearing dark sunglasses, entered the bank about 2:15 p.m. and slipped a note to a teller demanding money. He was not carrying a weapon, Miller said.

After leaving the bank with the money that the teller gave him, a red dye-pack inside the money exploded in Chestnut's hand as he was getting into his vehicle, Miller said. Graham dropped the money and the note on Main Street and took off north on Main Street.

While Citizens Bank does not have a count on the money taken from the bank at this time, it is in excess of $500, according to the criminal complaint.

No one inside the bank was injured, although Zelienople Mayor Tom Oliverio said employees were "shook-up."

Shortly after the robbery, a Jackson Township police officer on Hartman Road pulled over the dark blue Jeep that Chestnut was driving, but Chestnut sped away when the officer exited his cruiser, Miller said.

Although the officer lost sight of Chestnut, he was able to obtain the license plate number for the Jeep, which was registered to Chestnut's father.

State troopers who went to the Brent Road residence spoke to Chestnut on his cell phone. He agreed to return to this family's home in Liberty Township, where he was taken into custody. 

According to the criminal complaint, Chestnut told officers he held up the bank because he could not find work. The robbery was "his last resort," he told police. 

The bank was closed Monday while the FBI investigated the robbery. Oliverio said the Citizens Bank also was robbed about five years ago.