Woman arrested in connection with Boston bank robberies after bystander restrains her, police say

Bob Ward,Frank O'Laughlin

February 29, 2024 at 5:37 PM·3 min read

A woman was arrested Wednesday in connection with a pair of bank robberies in Boston after she was chased down and restrained by a brave bystander, officials said.

Miriam Dealmeida, 38, of Boston, is slated to be arraigned in South Boston District Court on a charge of unarmed bank robbery that stems from an incident at the Rockland Trust at 501 Southampton Street, according to the Boston Police Department.

At 11:18 AM Monday, police say a white woman wearing blue jeans, a black hoodie, and a white surgical mask, walked into the Rockland Trust on Southampton Street demanding cash.

When the bank robber walked out of the bank, a plumber driving his truck saw what looked like red smoke pouring out a person’s coat pocket.

“Somebody come out, puffing with smoke out of their jacket. Running across and dropping what I believe, what I could see was money,” the plumber who preferred not to be identified said. “But it was all smoky. Smoking money, so it just looked odd.”

Across the street from the Rockland Trust, police recovered the dye pack.

A neighbor’s video surveillance shows the suspect walking and then running up Dorchester Avenue.

“Doing the right thing, doing to work every day. Seen it. Acted, feel like I did the right thing,” he said. “Trying to change my life’s narrative and just do the right thing every day.”

At one point we see the plumber’s truck, and then at 635 Dorchester Ave, we can see him run towards the suspect, where he tackled her to the ground and held her until police arrived five minutes later.

Police noted that Dealmeida will face additional charges in connection with a separate bank robbery that happened beforehand at East West Bank at 68 Kneeland Street.

At the courthouse, a prosecutor says DeAlmeida confessed to the bank robbery.

But a defense attorney said DeAlmeida is battling addiction.

A friend who attended the arraignment, who asked not to be identified, agreed.

“Half the time, she doesn’t know what she saying, what she doing,” he said.

A Boston 25 News photographer captured video of the aftermath of the robbery at Rockland Trust, where there was a heavy police presence amid a large investigation.

“Broadcasting the suspect’s description, officers scoured the area, and a courageous bystander flagged them down on Father Songin Way, where he was restraining a woman matching the suspect’s description,” the department said in a statement.

The bystander told officers that he noticed the suspect running from the bank parking lot with red smoke emitting from her hooded sweatshirt pocket and gave chase after her down Dorchester Avenue and onto Father Songin Way.

Dealmeida was ultimately taken into police custody shortly after 11:15 a.m.

Before the alleged robbery at Rockland Trust, police said Dealmeida robbed East West Bank.

It wasn’t immediately clear how much money Dealmeida made off with.

An investigation is ongoing.