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KINGSTON — A Wilkes-Barre man was arrested Thursday after a two-and-a-half-hour manhunt following the armed robbery of a credit union.

Kingston police were dispatched to the UFCW Federal Credit Union at 570 Market St. at 12:17 p.m. for a report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, officers spoke with a teller who told them a white male came into the bank, displayed a black semi-automatic pistol and stated, “The faster you go, the better you’ll be,” according to a criminal complaint.

The teller told police she turned around and ran to the back of the bank in fear. She also told police the male was wearing dark-colored jeans and sneakers, court papers state.

Two witnesses who had been waiting in line at the bank told police the suspect fled the bank, crossed Market Street and proceeded north on Landon Avenue along the side of T&F Tire. They described him as a white male, about 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and wearing a hoodie with the hood over his head, according to the court papers.

Kingston Police Chief Michael Krzywicki said the suspect made off with an undisclosed amount of money.

Borough and state police blocked several streets in an attempt to “box in” the suspect in the vicinity of Wright Street and Rutter Avenue.

Krzywicki said the K-9 unit and witness reports led police to a Wright Avenue residence. He said the suspect made off with an undisclosed amount of money.

According to court papers:

Detective Stephen Gibson then spoke with the upstairs tenant, who allowed police to check his residence. The tenant told police he thought they were there about his former friend and roommate, whom he identified as Jon Fox. The tenant said Fox had been in the area and was using drugs. He identified the fleece jacket as Fox’s.

Another neighbor asked Gibson if police were looking for Fox because, the neighbor said, Fox allegedly told the neighbor he was using drugs and was contemplating robbing a credit union. The neighbor said Fox had a gun and that he spoke with Fox’s mother, who told the neighbor she was taking her son to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Detective Edward Palka found Fox at the hospital and took him into custody. During an interview, Fox allegedly admitted to trying to rob the credit union. He allegedly also told police that after ditching his jacket and umbrella, he met his drug dealer on West Market Street, got into an argument with the dealer and lost his BB gun before his mother picked him up and dropped him off at the hospital “for his problem.”

Fox was charged with three felony counts of robbery and arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz in Pittston via video conference. Unable to post $50,000 bail, Fox was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility to await a preliminary hearing scheduled for 1 p.m. Oct. 12 before District Judge Paul Roberts in Kingston.

Kingston Police Chief Michael Krzywicki and the Kingston K-9 search the area of Wright and Hoyt streets in Kingston after an armed robbery Thursday at the UFCW credit union on Market Street in Kingston.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL093016robbery1-1.jpg.optimal.jpgKingston Police Chief Michael Krzywicki and the Kingston K-9 search the area of Wright and Hoyt streets in Kingston after an armed robbery Thursday at the UFCW credit union on Market Street in Kingston. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Krzywicki and the Kingston K-9 as well as state police search for an armed robbery suspect.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL093016robbery3-1.jpg.optimal.jpgKrzywicki and the Kingston K-9 as well as state police search for an armed robbery suspect. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

State Police arrive at the UFCW to investigate the armed robbery.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL093016robbery2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgState Police arrive at the UFCW to investigate the armed robbery. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Steve Mocarsky

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and Eileen Godin

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Reach Steve Mocarsky at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @TLSteveMocarsky. Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.