Rome bank robbery suspect charged in Polk

One of two men charged in a Rome bank robbery will face charges in Polk County for his suspected involvement in the armed robbery of the Raceway gas station in Rockmart.

According to Rockmart Police Chief Keith Sorrells, police have obtained an arrest warrant for armed robbery against Michael Todd Styles, 49, of Rockmart.

Sorrells said Styles is the only one charged in the Polk incident, although he and Curtis Alton Styles, 63, also of Rockmart, are charged in the robbery of Greater Community Bank in Rome on Oct. 27.

Both men remained in jail on their charges.

“There’s not enough evidence to tie him (Curtis Styles) to it,” Sorrells said of the Raceway incident.

Sorrells said the two brothers who were captured by Rockmart police on Highway 101 after robbing the Rome bank on Monday was the effort of good police work.

“I just need to say how proud I am of our officers and how thorough and tenacious (Det.) David (Gowens) was in doing his job,” he said. “He was spot on with it.”

Monday started off with a hunch for Gowens, according to Sorrells.

“David came into my office Monday with a gut feeling they were going to hit another bank that day,” Sorrells said. “In this business, you get gut feelings. Sometimes they’re right. Sometimes they’re not. This one was.”

He said Gowens reviewed video and information from an Oct. 21 robbery at the Renasant Bank in Cartersville where police obtained video of a Volvo with a tag that was suspected to be the getaway car in the incident.

Gowens spent the morning patrolling local banks, convenience stores.

Another officer, Sgt. Jimmy Parker, told him of the robbery in Rome when Gowens returned to the office.

Gowens told officers to go with him to Highway 101 because the suspects would likely escape down that roadway.

Gowens took his police vehicle out to Highway 101 with other officers in patrol cars.

“He started that way and met the car,” Sorrells said.

The car, with a broken light, ran off the road, was pulled back on the road, then ran off again and stopped. Gowens then made the stop.

No one was in the car with the driver, identified as Curtis Styles. Parker and officers Kevin Montgomery and Chris Speck assisted in the stop. Styles was given a sobriety test, was arrested and charged with traffic violations including driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, and expired tag.

Police got a surprise when they called a wreck- er and began to search the car.

Michael Styles was found in the trunk, Sorrells said.

“There was a bag full of money they had just taken from the bank in Rome with him. The money still had the bands around it with Greater Community Bank on the bands,” Sorrells said.

He said other law enforcement agencies with similar bank robberies, including those Dallas and Villa Rica, communicated with Rockmart’s police officials following the arrests.

Curtis Styles remains in the Polk County Jail. Michael Styles was transferred and remains in the Floyd County Jail.