Suspect arrested in Wrens bank robbery, previously charged in several others
Officers with the U.S. Marshal’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Eddie Adonis Garnett, 53, of Augusta, Thursday, Feb. 15 in connection to the Wrens Regions Bank robbery that occurred earlier this month.
Wrens Police Chief John Maynard said that around 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, Garnett entered the building on Broad Street across from City Hall, told the teller he wanted all of the $100, $50 and $20 bills and then jumped over the counter. Garnett proceeded to go through the drawer himself, stuffing cash into his sweatpants and sweatshirt pockets. He then walked out of the bank. No weapon was used during the robbery and no one was injured.
By canvassing nearby businesses’ security cameras, investigators believe Garnett then left in a vehicle which had been parked nearby with another unidentified person.
Garnett has been charged with two counts of robbery by intimidation and one count of burglary in the second degree in this case.
According to reporting in The Augusta Chronicle, Garnett was previously arrested for robbery of the Gordon Highway SunTrust in 2012, was a suspect in a Morrow, GA, bank robbery and was wanted at that time in connection with violating his federal probation from previous bank robberies.
In 2005, Garnett was arrested in McDuffie County after a Thomson bank was robbed.
In 1997, Garnett pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to three counts of bank robbery from banks in Augusta, Martinez and Thomson. Garnett was sentenced to nine years without parole for taking more than $42,000.
Maynard said that the FBI, U.S. Marshal’s Office and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the Wrens Regions Bank robbery investigation and Garnett’s apprehension.
“I appreciate Capt. Robert Chalker from the Sheriff’s Office who received a tip, followed up with it and was able to gather a lot of information none of us knew and that information was relayed up to the federal level,” Maynard said. “It aided in his (Garnett’s) capture.”
Maynard recommended that other area businesses and banks ensure they have safety plans and protocols in place and that they rehearse these often.
“Make sure all of the security equipment is working properly and try to remain calm and cooperative in the event of something like this happening,” Maynard said. “We hope that it doesn’t, but this is proof that this can happen here at any time.”
Garnett is currently being held in the Jefferson County Detention Center.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Suspect arrested in Wrens bank robbery, previously charged in others
