2nd man charged after bank robbed twice in matter of weeks
WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) — A man who recently got out of prison has been charged with robbing a Fifth Third Bank branch in Wyoming; the second time the same branch — and the same teller — was hit in less than two weeks.
Police say 58-year-old Timothy L. Herron entered the branch on Michael Avenue SW at 28th Street on April 2 and implied he had a weapon. He fled the 9:40 a.m. heist with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The same employee was also targeted on March 22 by a man who stated he had a gun and demanded money. He was arrested a short time later less than 2 miles away.
Police: Wyoming bank branch robbed for 2nd time in 2 weeks
Herron was discharged from the Michigan Department of Corrections last summer after serving time for a 2008 criminal sexual conduct conviction in Kent County.
He was arraigned on a felony charge of armed robbery last week. Bond was set at $250,000. A probable cause conference has been set for April 17.
Herron went to the branch at 2828 Michael Ave. SW with the intent to rob it, court records show. He approached a teller and demanded money, stating he had a weapon, according to a probable cause affidavit.
It did not take long for police to catch up with Herron. A man matching the suspect’s description was spotted by officers near 28t Street and Buchanan Avenue SW.
Police say Herron went to Rogers Plaza and discarded clothing before heading to a nearby motel.
“(Defendant) was interviewed by detective and confessed,’’ according to a probable cause affidavit. “Stolen money was located on his person.’’
The circumstances of last week’s heist are eerily similar to what transpired on the snowy morning of March 22. In that case, an older man also entered the bank, got money and was arrested a short time later on 28th near Buchanan.
Man targets same bank days after jail release, records show
The March 22 suspect, identified as 65-year-old John Tipton, was charged with armed robbery. During a court appearance last week, the judge authorized a competency exam to determine if Tipton understands the charges against him and can assist in his own defense.
Tipton got out of jail March 7 for robbing the same branch back in August 2022.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.