‘Dan is so deserving of this award’

Princeton police Detective Daniel Chitren, who solved the July 28 bank robbery at the TD Bank on State Road, was honored by bank representatives at the Princeton Council’s Nov. 12 meeting.

Chitren was presented with TD Bank’s Law Enforcement Appreciation award by Greg Branch and Ray Casanova of the bank’s Global Security and Investigations unit.

Chitren led the investigation that resulted in the arrest of a 37-year-old Montgomery Township woman on Sept. 24. She was charged with multiple offenses, including robbery, theft, issuing terroristic threats, aggravated assault and weapons offenses, police said.

The incident began when the woman walked into the TD Bank and handed a note to the teller that demanded cash. She was armed with a semi-automatic handgun. The teller gave her $60,000 in cash and she left the bank.

At the Princeton Council meeting, Branch recalled that July 28 was a quiet Sunday. He was visiting his mother when he was notified of the bank robbery.

The Princeton Police Department responded immediately, Branch said. A few of the bank employees were “rattled beyond belief,” he said.

“I am a retired FBI agent and Ray is a retired Galloway Township police detective. I have been to hundreds of bank robberies – and I’m not saying this just because we are giving Dan an award – but it doesn’t happen the way it happened here,” Branch said.

Chitren was meticulous and patient in his interviews with the victim teller, said Branch, who also responded to the State Road bank. Branch stayed until the end of the initial investigation on July 28.

Chitren had literally nothing to go on, Branch said. He and Casanova gave the detective all of the pictures and surveillance videos that they had. In a matter of weeks, he had solved the case and made an arrest.

Branch said the award presented to Chitren is a new one from TD Bank’s Global Security and Investigations unit. This is only the second time that it has been handed out, he said.

“Dan is so deserving of this award,” he said. “I want to commend the Princeton Police Department. (The officers who responded) were first class.”

Chitren, in turn, praised Branch and Casanova for their communication with him. Without that constant communication, some things might have gone unnoticed, he said.

Between Branch and Casanova and himself, they were able to put their heads together and figure things out, Chitren said.

The detective said he had the backing of the Princeton Police Department and Police Chief Christopher Tash. The police chief let him run with his own leads, which led to the arrest, he said.

“It’s not me,” Chitren said. “I’m just a peg in the wheel. It’s every member of the Princeton Police Department who were there from the start to the end.”