Alton Police confirm they have suspected bank robber in custody

ALTON - After announcing they had apprehended a "person of interest" in the Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, robbery of the U.S. Bank location at 1520 Washington Ave., Alton Police Chief Jake Simmons formerly declared the person is a suspect. 

The East St. Louis man was taken into police custody approximately 15 minutes following the 9:30 a.m. bank robbery. Simmons said the man passed a note to a bank teller, before escaping on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. Simmons said he would not comment on the contents of that note. 

Simmons said the man ran toward the 2900 block of Brown Street, toward the woods behind Cavalry Baptist Church. Simmons said several passersby called 911, and police officers were already near the suspect's location. He said the man changed from dark black clothes before being apprehended by police. 

Following the man being taken into custody, Simmons said officers combed the woods with the assistance of a canine officer for as long as two hours, during which time Simmons said they discovered multiple articles of evidence regarding the bank robbery. 

Police refused to identify the man until formal charges are pressed against him by the Madison County State's Attorney's Office, which Simmons said he expected by Thursday afternoon. 

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