ATTLEBORO -- An alert police officer and a fast-thinking bystander in a bank line are being credited with helping capture a suspect in a string of bank robberies in the Attleboro area in the last several weeks.

The suspect, Philip L. Campanirio, 39, of 52 Mayflower Ave., Taunton, was ordered held in jail on $300,000 cash bail after pleading innocent Monday in Attleboro District Court.

He is charged with Saturday's robbery at the Citizens Bank branch inside Stop & Shop supermarket on Pleasant Street and two robberies at the Citizens Bank branch at Stop & Shop on Route 106 in Mansfield.

Campanirio, who grew up in Taunton and was released in April for a two-year stint in jail for armed robbery, is also under investigation for similar robberies in Plainville, Seekonk and Pawtucket, R.I., authorities say.

No motive was given for the robberies but drug addiction and the need for quick cash is suspected, police said. Campanirio maintains his innocence.

`` There has been no positive ID made by anyone of the victims or witnesses in these cases,'' said North Attleboro lawyer Brian Roman, who is representing Campanirio.

Police say Campanirio matches the person in bank surveillance photographs and Assistant District Attorney Ken Clark said an associate of the defendant told police Campanirio admitted he was robbing the banks.

The associate was in Campanirio's Dodge Caravan when it was stopped in Taunton police officer Jeffrey Arruda around 3:30 p.m. Saturday about 45 minutes after the Attleboro robbery in which $979 was stolen.

The man and a woman inside the vehicle were questioned but not charged with any crimes, according to police.

Police credited a woman standing in line behind the robber at Citizens Bank. The woman followed him outside after noticing the teller was upset and saw him get into the vehicle.

The witness, whose name was not disclosed, got the license plate number of the vehicle which police say was registered to the defendant, according to police.

Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and recovered $60 cash in three $20 bills, shorts, sneakers and an alleged crack pipe, according to a police report.

In an interview outside the courtroom, the defendant's father Leo Campanirio, 67, acknowledged his son had a past drug problem. But he maintained his son's innocence.

`` They didn't find any money so I don't understand,'' Leo Campanirio said. He said his son may have been targeted by police because he is a convicted felon who got out of prison in April for armed robbery.

`` I told him he had to be careful when he got out of prison,'' Campanirio said.

Police praised the bystander who got the license plate number in the Attleboro robbery and the Taunton police officer who stopped the alleged getaway vehicle.

`` This is an example of good police work by a Taunton patrolman keeping watch in his community,'' Taunton Lt. Mike Silvia said in a statement.

Attleboro police had contacted Taunton police after they learned the getaway vehicle was allegedly linked to Campanirio.

In addition, Mansfield detectives were already on the trail after a Raynham police officer saw a bank surveillance photograph and notified them about Campanirio, according to police.

During his bail argument, Clark said Campanirio had a lengthy criminal record with crimes of violence and had a habit of failing to appear in court.

Campanirio is under investigation for a robbery in Seekonk June 10 at the Sovereign Bank on Central Avenue near the Pawtucket line.

The first robbery in Mansfield occurred on June 23 and the second on July 7.

Campanirio is due back in court for a pretrial hearing Aug. 1.