A Pennsylvania man was facing multiple charges in Framingham District Court on Friday after Hopkinton and Southborough police nabbed him for allegedly attempting to commit bank fraud in both towns Wednesday.

On Wednesday at approximately 3:12 p.m., HPD responded to a report from Middlesex Savings Bank at 10 Main Street that a man was attempting to impersonate another individual.

Officer Justin Cappuccio arrived as the man was leaving the bank. Employees signaled to the officer that the individual was involved in the incident. Cappuccio identified himself and instructed the man to return inside and sit down while he began an investigation.

The man was identified as Edward Heinzman, 60, of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. He allegedly attempted to withdraw $2,800 from a bank account and provided a license with another person’s name.

HPD confirmed that the license number corresponded to a real individual with the same name and date of birth, but with a different address and physical appearance.

During the investigation, bank employees informed HPD that a similar situation had just been reported at the bank’s Southborough branch at 162 Cordaville Road.

At about 3:17 p.m., Southborough Police Officer Christopher Byrne Jr. was dispatched to the Southborough branch for a report of an attempted check fraud.

Officers learned that a man entered the bank at about 2:52 p.m. and attempted to cash a check for $2,147.53. He provided a license to the clerk, who immediately determined that it appeared to be fraudulent.

Further investigation by Byrne and Detective Owen O’Brien revealed that the man used the same fraudulent license at both banks. They headed to Hopkinton after learning of the similar incident.

Joint investigation leads to numerous charges

Through the joint investigation, Hopkinton and Southborough Police determined the suspect’s identity to be Heinzman. Officers also learned that he had an active, extraditable warrant out of Pennsylvania for a parole violation.

HPD arrested Heinzman on the following charges:

• forging or misusing an RMV signature;
• furnishing a false ID to law enforcement;
• possession or use of a false or stolen RMV document;
• intimidation of a witness/juror/police/court official;
• fugitive from justice on a court warrant.

Southborough Police were granted a warrant Thursday in Westborough District Court for Heinzman’s arrest, charging him with:

• forging or misusing an RMV signature;
• identity fraud;
• forgery of a check;
• uttering a false check;
• attempting to commit a crime (larceny over $1,200).

Heinz was scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Framingham District Court.

“This was good, old-fashioned police work,” HPD Chief Joseph Bennett stated in a joint press release issued Friday. “Bank employees trusted their instincts and alerted us quickly, which allowed us to respond immediately and detain the suspect before he could even leave. There was strong collaboration between our officers and the Southborough Police Department to piece together what happened in both communities and take the suspect into custody.”

“Criminals will often move from town to town hoping departments don’t realize what they are doing,” added Southborough Police Chief Ryan Newell. “The bank employees quickly reporting suspicious activity allowed our officers to work collaboratively with the Hopkinton Police Department to identify the pattern and pursue charges. That kind of collaboration is critical in cases like this.”