Bank robbery

The Bank Robbery Task Force has released photos of the man they say held up a Sovereign Bank branch on Friday - the day after another Mattapan bank was held up.

In the Friday case, the man, described as in his late 20s or early 30s, about 5'8" with a medium build and a full beard, passed a note to a teller at the Sovereign Bank branch at 1617 Blue Hill Ave. He got away with an unspecified amount of money.

The day before, a Bank of America branch at 100 River St. was robbed.

Boston and State Police teamed up to catch a man they say held up a Centre Street bank this afternoon - and the woman they charge drove the getaway car.

The man, with a towel wrapped around his hand and an apparent gun, fled the Eastern Bank branch at 687 Centre St. and jumped into a car driven by a woman. Witnesses took down the license-plate number and watched the silver car turn down Burroughs toward the Jamaicaway.

A state trooper heard the information and spotted the car at Boylston Street and Park Drive not long after. He summoned help and arriving Boston officers placed the suspect and driver into a cruiser for a trip back to the bank, where, police say, witnesses identified the two.

Ryan Croke, 27, of Lynnfield and Brook Buendia, 34, were charged with armed bank robbery, police report.

Innocent, etc.

Busy day for police and the FBI: Boston Police tweet that the First Trade Union at 753 E. Broadway was robbed early this afternoon, followed in quick succession by the Hyde Park Savings, 1920 Centre St. in West Roxbury and the Citizens Bank at 696 Centre St. in Jamaica Plain.