Bank robber kills himself after police standoff
Local Bank of America was robbed March 7; suspect tracked to Illinois
The man suspected of robbing a Bank of America in Shelby Township Thursday took his own life after an eight-hour standoff with Illinois police.
On March 7 at 10:36 a.m., the Shelby Township Police Department was notified that a bank robbery had occurred at Bank of America, located at 13750 23 Mile Road. Bank employees told officers on the scene that a man entered the bank, approached a teller, then passed her a note demanding money and fled the bank.
According to a statement from Shelby Township Sgt. Mark Benedettini, officers were unable to located the suspect after
canvassing the neighborhood.
After reviewing video from different locations in the area, detectives learned that after fleeing the bank, the suspect got on a motorized scooter which he had parked near the bank and drove to a semi truck that was parked in the area. The suspect then fled the area while riding inside of the truck.
Police tracked the escape vehicle to a company in Illinois and were able to identify the suspect as a 33-year-old resident of Georgia.
Shelby Township detectives were able to track the suspect to Effingham, Illinois and requested assistance from the Effingham Police Department, who eventually located the suspect and the semi-truck at a TA Truck Stop in their jurisdiction.
The suspect resisted arrest and was able to barricade himself inside of the semi-truck with a gun. Police immediately disabled the semi-truck, which prevented his escape.
The Effingham County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois State Police SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiating Team were called to assist. After nearly an eight-hour standoff, negotiations failed, and the suspect took his own life.
“Make no mistake about it — if you come to Shelby Township to commit a crime, our department will track you down no matter where you try to hide,” said Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide.
The Illinois State Police, Effingham County Sheriff’s Department, Effingham Police Department and Macomb County FBI all assisted in the case.