Bank Holdup Suspect Arrested at Bus Stop

A robber who walked out of a Union Bank with $25,000 Wednesday was arrested as he waited for a bus a short distance away, authorities said.

Police said Michael Anthony Lee, 25, was arrested while still holding a gym bag full of money shortly before 4 p.m. as he waited for a bus that was three minutes late. Police said he might have escaped otherwise.

Lee was arrested by police about five minutes after he robbed the Union Bank branch in the 500 block of South Main Street, Lt. Timm Browne said.

Police said Lee was spotted sitting impassively with a group of people on a crowded bus bench less than a block away from the bank.

“An officer had just gotten a description of the bank robbery suspect over radio frequency when he saw the man sitting on the bus bench,” Browne said.

“Are you the man who robbed the bank?” asked Officer David Seda, Browne said. “And the man answered, ‘Yeah, but I don’t want to talk about it.’ ”

Police said Lee had approached a teller, demanded money and placed the gym bag on the counter.

“The teller would give him money and three times he yelled, ‘No! More money!’ ” Browne said. “The teller kept giving him money until he eventually left the bank with $25,000.”