Halfway house escapee robbed Manchester bank last week, police say

Mark Hayward, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·1 min read

Aug. 16—Manchester police have issued an arrest warrant for a man who walked away from a state halfway house last week, charging him with the robbery last Thursday of a city bank.

Police allege that Michael Wells, 55, robbed the Citizens Bank branch at 1550 Elm St., on Thursday morning. He is charged with handing the teller a note that claimed he had a gun and demanded money.

Wells is a Tier III registered sex offender, but the type of registration does not require his inclusion in the public registry, Manchester police said.

The bank robbery occurred about two days after state corrections officials placed Wells on escape status from the Calumet halfway house in downtown Manchester.

Authorities said he was last seen on the morning of Aug. 9, when he signed out of the house for a work shift. He had been serving time for robbery and was eligible for parole in June 2022.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Wells should call Manchester police at 668-8711.