Officer injured as crash ends pursuit of Abington bank robber

Abington, Pennsylvania police were involved in a motor vehicle accident with an SUV at the intersection of N. 17 th St. and Oxford in North Philadelphia on Friday, August 10, 2012. Officers from Abington Police Dept were in pursuit of an alleged bank robber in their city. Picture of Abington Police Officer interacting with Philadelphia police with alleged perps vehicle in background. ( ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ) (Philadelphia Daily News)

By Bonnie L. Cook, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Posted: August 11, 2012

An Abington Township police officer was hospitalized and an alleged bank robber was in custody Friday after a car chase that began in Jenkintown and "wound all over Philadelphia," police said.

Police identified the suspect as Aaron K.M. Thomas, 47, of West Philadelphia.

Thomas was awaiting arraignment Friday on robbery and related offenses, according to Abington Township Deputy Police Chief John Livingood.

Livingood said that about 11:15 a.m. a man went into the PNC Bank at 123 Old York Road, tossed a plastic bag on the teller's counter, and said: "Fill it up."

No threats were made, no note was shown, and no bank employees were injured, Livingood said.

The robber left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash and drove southbound on Broad Street in a black Range Rover. Abington Township police pursued the vehicle as it zigzagged throughout the city.

At one point the Range Rover got on the Roosevelt Expressway at Broad Street and exited at the Fox Street Exit. When it did, the Range Rover purposely struck an Abington K-9 police vehicle there, but neither the officer nor dog was hurt, Livingood said.

At the intersection of 17th and Oxford Streets in North Philadelphia, the Range Rover went through a red light and was struck by a car driven by a civilian. The Range Rover then collided with the pursuing police car and a light pole, Livingood said.

"That's where the officer got injured," Livingood said. The driver got out and ran with the bag of money in his hand, but Abington officers apprehended him a short distance away.

The officer, whose name was not released, was being treated at Hahnemann University Hospital for minor medical issues, Livingood said. No one else was hurt.

Police recovered the stolen money, Livingood said.

Contact Bonnie L. Cook at 610-313-8232 or bcook@phillynews.com.