Robbers Caught Red-Handed

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - (01/11/06) – A young local man was sentencedto four years in federal prison Tuesday after he and his getawaycar driver were caught red-handed after a hold-up at Coastway CUlast February. Michael Capaldi, 21, of Cranston, and JohnChiellini, 22, of Central Falls, were arrested at a nearby Days Innwhere police discovered red dye splashed inside their getaway carand red stains on the hands and shirt of one of them. The suspectswere apparently stained by an exploding dye pack put into the cashbag by an alert teller. The two men, who also robbed Bank RI inEast Providence, took turns in the robberies. One would give theteller a threatening note, while the other would wait outside in aJeep Cherokee used for the getaway. At the next robberythey’d switch. Chiellini drove the getaway car during theBank RI robbery when $2,759 was stolen, and Capaldi drove atCoastway CU, when they got $1,930. Chielini is serving a five-yearsentence for his role in the robberies.