Attempted bank theft ends with police chase BY JAY BODAS Staff Writer EDISON - After a high-speed chase, police recently arrested two men and a woman, charging them with attempted theft by deception of a bank on Oak Tree Road. At 1 p.m. on Nov. 21, Patrolman Michael Perotti observed a 1999 Mitsubishi Galant abruptly exit the parking lot of Chase Bank and begin speeding west on Oak Tree Road in a reckless manor, police said. "Officer Perotti activated his patrol unit's emergency lights and siren to initiate a motor vehicle stop on the suspect vehicle," said Lt. Joseph Shannon. "At this time the suspect vehicle failed to pull over and continued to speed on the roadway in an attempt to elude the officer." At one point, the vehicle slowed down enough for a male and female occupant to exit, police said. "The vehicle continued to drive on Oak Tree Road toward the intersection with Grove Avenue," Shannon said. Police said that at the intersection, the driver intentionally caused his vehicle to strike two other cars stopped at the light, causing minor injuries to the occupants of those vehicles. "Shortly after the suspect vehicle struck the two cars, Patrolman Perotti was able to exit his vehicle and effect an arrest of the driver of the suspect vehicle," Shannon said. "Shortly after the driver of the vehicle was apprehended, Edison Police Officer Joseph Chonka located and arrested the male and female suspects that bailed out of the suspect vehicle." The driver of the vehicle was identified as Kevin Blackford, 54, of Nicholas Place, N.Y., police said. "Blackford was charged with criminal attempt to commit fraud, attempted theft by deception, eluding police with a motor vehicle and four counts of aggravated assault with a motor vehicle," Shannon said. "He was remanded to the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center on $250,000 bail." The other two suspects were identified as Matthew Taylor, 30, of New York, and Felicia Guy, 43, of New York. Both were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and remanded to the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center on $50,000 bail, police said. The three are suspected of attempting to fraudulently withdraw $6,000 from another person's account at the Chase Bank, police said.