Police Blotter for June 10: Bank Robber Arrested

Bank robber arrested

A 37-year-old Fairfield man was arrested Thursday afternoon on charges he robbed People's United Bank on Stratfield Road in Fairfield last year.

Michael Targouski, of Knapps Highway, was arrested after a police officer working a construction detail by Kings Highway and Tunxis Hill Road in Fairfield recognized Targouski driving by, knew there was a warrant out for Targouski's arrest and called headquarters to report the sighting, police said.

Police said Targouski had entered the People's United Bank branch on April 10, 2010 wearing a mask, demanded money and escaped in a red pickup truck after getting about $2,000. The teller put the cash in a white paper bag and included a dye pack that exploded after Targouski fled, police said.

Police recovered the pickup truck, which had been stolen from a Fairfield business two days before the bank robbery, and determined through investigation that Targouski had used the pickup truck in the robbery, police said. Targouski was the driver of the pickup truck, police said.

Targouski was charged with third-degree robbery and third-degree larceny. He was held in lieu of $75,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court June 17, police said.

Police said Targouski also had morphine and seroquel pills in a latex glove, and he was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance and failure to keep prescription medicine in its original container. On those charges, Targouski was held in lieu of $1,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court June 20, police said.

Arrest in 'staged burglary'

A 28-year-old Fairfield woman was arrested Thursday on charges she made up a burglary in order to try to collect money from an insurance company.

Amanda L. Diumo, of Garden Drive, was charged with falsely reporting an incident and conspiracy to commit falsely reporting an incident. She was held in lieu of $5,000 bond and was scheduled to appear June 15 in Bridgeport Superior Court, police said.

Police said Diumo had falsely claimed on April 25 that about $1,600 worth of electronics was stolen from her home, police said.

Police said Diumo's husband also was involved in the staged burglary and a warrant was out for his arrest.

Police said there was no sign of forced entry to the Garden Drive home and officers determined that Diumo and her husband had staged the burglary.

Diumo turned herself in at the Fairfield Police Department about 3:30 p.m. Thursday after learning there was a warrant for her arrest, police said.