Sterling Heights

Bank robbery suspect apprehended in Detroit

By Cortney Casey
C & G Staff Writer

» click to enlarge « Surveillance video captured this man robbing a Chase Bank branch in Sterling Heights Oct. 1. The suspect escaped from a pursuing witness, but was picked up later by Detroit police. Surveillance video captured this man robbing a Chase Bank branch in Sterling Heights Oct. 1. The suspect escaped from a pursuing witness, but was picked up later by Detroit police.

An alleged bank robber’s elusion of authorities was short-lived, after police in another jurisdiction nabbed him on additional charges.

According to Sterling Heights police, the suspect entered the Chase Bank branch in the 33000 block of Schoenherr, near 14 Mile, just before noon Oct. 1 and approached the teller line, passing a note to an employee that read, “Give me all your money — 20s, 10s, 5s — I know where you work.”

The suspect reclaimed the note before placing a black-and-gray backpack on the counter, into which the teller deposited more than $1,000. The man then fled on foot as the teller activated the alarm, but a witness chased the man over two walls and into an apartment complex north of the bank. The suspect managed to get away by entering a dark-green SUV and fleeing the area.

The next day, police released surveillance camera images in hopes that someone might be able to identify the man, who was described as a white man in his early 20s, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a thin build and light complexion.

Soon after, a Warren police officer who had seen the bulletin spotted the green SUV, but because he was en route to an unrelated robbery, he couldn’t stop the suspect, said Lt. Luke Riley of the Sterling Heights Police Department.

The officer took down the license plate number and immediately notified Sterling Heights police, who then identified the suspect based on the information provided, said Riley.

Before Sterling Heights police could apprehend the man, Detroit police had already picked him up for fleeing and eluding, and drug charges.

Riley said bank robbery charges have been authorized for the suspect in Sterling Heights, but at press time, the man remained in Detroit pending arraignment on charges in that jurisdiction.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Cortney Casey at ccasey@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1046.