Citizen helps Ann Arbor police locate suspected bank robber

The 32-year-old man was arrested and remains in custody as Washtenaw County prosecutors review the case for possible criminal charges.

No one was injured during the robbery or ensuing police chase, Det. Sgt. Pat Hughes said. In addition, Hughes said, the majority of the money stolen from the bank at 125 Briarwood Circle was recovered.

Investigators say the man passed a note at the bank and made off with an undisclosed amount of money at about 5 p.m. He rode away on a bicycle into the Briarwood Mall parking lot, where a woman spotted him, Hughes said. 

The woman, who was not aware of the robbery, was suspicious of the man because he was clutching his stomach as he rode past her, Hughes said.

The man rode the bicycle up to a pickup truck in the lot and dropped some money, Hughes said. He then loaded the bicycle onto the truck and got inside.

The woman planned to get the license plate number, but the truck didn't have a license plate, Hughes said.

She dialed 911 and followed the truck until Ann Arbor police officers caught up with the vehicle on Jackson Road near I-94, Hughes said.

The man led police on a chase that ended on Parker Road near I-94 on the border of Scio and Lima townships, Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies said. Deputies put spike strips on the road.

The man ditched the truck and ran, but was quickly apprehended, Hughes said. Hughes did not have specifics on how long the chase lasted, but said the man was apprehended 30 to 40 minutes after the robbery.

Hughes credited officers with bringing the incident to a safe resolution and thanked the woman for dialing 911.

“She saw that this was a situation that looked suspicious and decided to follow up and make the call,” Hughes said.

Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.