Colonel Michael J. Winquist, Chief of the Cranston Police Department, announces that early this morning, members of the Cranston Police Criminal Investigations Unit and Special Response Team arrested a local man for a bank robbery.

On June 16, 2023, at approximately 11:56 PM afternoon, a robbery occurred at the Citizens Bank branch located at 1030 Park Avenue. The lone suspect approached the teller and passed a note demanding cash. The suspect exited the bank with an undisclosed amount of US currency and left the area on a blue BMX-style bicycle. No weapon was shown, and no one was injured.

Surveillance footage from the bank showed the suspect as a white male, approximately 6’ tall, thin build, wearing a black baseball hat, a grey Nike hooded sweatshirt, grey sweatpants, white Nike sneakers, a neon gaiter around his neck, and sunglasses. Department members with prior contact with the suspect immediately recognized him as Gino ROTONDO, age 58, of 38 Leslie Street, Cranston, RI. Rotondo’s residence is located a few blocks away from the bank. It was learned that ROTONDO had been released from the Adult Correctional Institution on April 23, 2023, after posting bail for several criminal charges for firearm and drug offenses that were filed after a sixteen-hour standoff with the North Providence Police in July 2022.

An arrest warrant was obtained for ROTONDO, as well as a search warrant for his residence. Due Disclaimer: All individual(s) contained in this press release are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Page 2 of 3 to RONTONDO’’s criminal history, the Cranston Police Department Special Reaction Team (SRT) was activated to serve the warrants. During the late night hours, the SRT, assisted by the East Providence SWAT Team and Rhode Island State Bomb Squad, executed the search warrant at 38 Leslie Street. As a systematic and methodical search was being conducted of the residence, information was developed that ROTONDO might be hiding in a self-storage unit at 950 Phenix Avenue in Cranston. Two detectives responded to the location and apprehended ROTONDO, who had been sleeping inside a storage unit. ROTONDO was found to be in possession of a small amount of cash and clothing matching the clothing seen in the bank surveillance photographs.

ROTONDO was held overnight at Cranston Police Headquarters and will be arraigned by a Justice of the Peace on a charge of Second Degree Robbery. ROTONDO is also wanted on an arrest warrant lodged by the Coventry Police Department for Shoplifting and Violation of a No Contact Order.

Colonel Winquist stated, “I credit the Patrol Officers, Detectives, and Special Response Team for working together to quickly identify the suspect and take him into custody without incident hours after the robbery. The suspect has a lengthy history, including illegally possessing firearms and refusing commands from police, which made this swift and safe apprehension especially significant. I also wish to thank the East Providence Police SWAT Team and Rhode Island Bomb Squad for providing equipment and personnel to our department.”