FBI: Robber arrested with son in getaway car

Court documents describe use distinctive bag for loot

An armed bank robber who the FBI says terrorized employees during a holdup in Livonia this week may have petrified a more vulnerable subject: his 4-year-old son, who was in the getaway car when his dad was arrested, court records show.

Police caught the suspect 20 minutes after the holdup — near a dumpster in a church parking lot, standing outside of his Chevy Blazer, which was spotted on surveillance camera leaving the bank at high speeds, the FBI says.

Authorities said it is not clear whether the boy was in the vehicle during the actual robbery — only that he was with his dad when he got arrested.

According to court documents, the suspect also gave investigators a bizarre clue to work with: a striped pink and black Victoria’s Secret bag, into which he allegedly stuffed his stolen loot before fleeing the bank.

In a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, William Davis was charged with bank robbery and using a gun during a crime of violence at the Comerica Bank on Fifth Street in Livonia, where the FBI says he waved a loaded gun, cocked it at one point and ordered employees to give him money.

The government says Davis made off with $2,380 — including $150 in bait money — and was arrested about 20 minutes later in a church parking lot. Davis, 28, of Detroit, told police he was taking his son to a park, records show, though the police didn’t buy it and arrested him.

They soon found a striped Victoria’s Secret bag stuffed under the front passenger seat, filled with cash and a gun.

Davis, who is currently jailed, is scheduled to make an initial appearance in U.S. District

Court on Thursday. An attorney of record has not yet been listed for him in court documents.

According to an FBI agent’s affidavit, here is what happened inside the bank, and what led to Davis’ arrest.

‘This is a robbery, I am serious, give me all your money’

At about 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, Livonia police responded to a call about an active armed robbery at Comerica Bank on Five Mile Road in Livonia.

When police arrived, it was over — though

visibly shaken employees explained that a man in a black hooded sweatshirt with his hood up, mask and sunglasses had entered the bank and announced: “This is a robbery, I am serious, give me all your money.”

According to the employees, the robber pointed a handgun at them — and at one point racked it — demanded money, and took off more than with $2,000, including the bait money. He fled in a black Chevy Blazer with no license plate.

What the surveillance footage showed

Police reviewed the surveillance video from the bank and saw what the employees described: a man in a hooded sweetheart and sunglasses entering the bank. The sweatshirt had white lettering that read “DETROIT” and the digits “3525.” He was carrying a white-and-black. striped bag in his left hand, and a black handgun in his right hand.

Upon entering the bank, the robber held up the gun, waved it in the air and pointed it around at employees. He then walked up to the teller counter, pointed the gun at an employee through the glass, and opened his bag. The teller placed money inside his bag.

Then he walked toward the door and pointed his gun at a second employee, before going into the manager’s office and pointing the weapon at the manager, too.

At this point, the second employee stood up from her desk, walked toward the employee backdoor while the robber followed her with his gun pointed at her back. She unlocked the door and they both entered the teller area, where another employee placed more money into his bag.

After exiting the employee area, the robber went back to the lobby, paced around, took more money from the tellers and then fled through the front door.

Arrested near a church dumpster

Police began searching the area as the descriptions of the robber and his vehicle were broadcast.

At 10:53 a.m. — 23 minutes after the robbery was reported — police spotted a black Blazer with no license plate driving east on Lyndon near Hubbard. It turned on Farmington and then entered a parking lot north of Schoolcraft.

The Chevy Blazer came to a stop near some dumpsters in the parking lot of Christ Our Savior Church.

A man matching the robber’s description was standing by the vehicle, next to a dumpster. Police approached and asked why he was in the area.

‘Be quiet just grab the money’

The suspect told police that he had come from the Canton area and was taking his 4-year-old son — who was in the rear right passenger seat — to a park.

But the man appeared unsure with his answer. And he matched the description of the robber. So police arrested him and took him to the Livonia jail pending further investigation.

His son was later turned over to a relative. The FBI says Davis, after being read his Miranda rights, confessed to the bank robbery.

Police also recovered the Victoria’s Secret bag, which contained a handgun with a round in the chamber, $2,348 in cash, black sunglasses, a mask and a sweatshirt with “DETROIT” printed on it.

Police also recovered a note from Davis’ car that stated: “This is a bank robbery. Be quiet just grab the money. No one will get hurt. Thanks.”