A manhunt is underway in Missouri for the man police believe was behind the Tuesday morning robbery of a Southridge Centre bank and as many as 40 bank robberies in several states, Charleston detectives said today.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A manhunt is underway in Missouri for the man police believe was behind the Tuesday morning robbery of a Southridge Centre bank and as many as 40 bank robberies in several states, Charleston detectives said today.
Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008 - Charleston police searched for a man who robbed the Summit Community Bank at Southridge Centre. The man authorities suspect in up to 40 bank robberies, including three in the Kanawha Valley, continued to evade capture Thursday evening after he was identified by Charleston police.
Joseph Paul Young, 37, of Rogersville, Mo., eluded FBI agents and members of the Missouri Highway Patrol by jumping into a culvert after crashing his truck several miles from his house last night, Charleston Police Sgt. S.A. Cooper said. Because of darkness and inclement weather, officers were unable to track him after the culvert emptied into a nearby river, he said.
Young may be responsible for as many as 40 robberies in multiple states, Cooper said.
Charleston police were able to identify Young after a citizen called in a tip about seeing someone driving a truck with out-of-state license plates acting suspiciously on Tuesday. Hours later, the Summit Community bank at Southridge was robbed, and police released photos of the suspect and his vehicle, a black pickup truck, to the media.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court, the tipster saw a similar truck with Missouri plates driving slowly, as if the driver were lost, before the truck pulled in to the First Bank of Charleston on Washington Street West around 6:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
Using surveillance video from the bank's ATM, police confirmed that the driver was the suspect from the bank robbery. After getting subpoenas for his bank records, police identified the man via his bank account at the Guaranty Bank in Springfield, Mo.
"It turns out he was checking his account balance," Cooper said.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A manhunt is underway in Missouri for the man police believe was behind the Tuesday morning robbery of a Southridge Centre bank and as many as 40 bank robberies in several states, Charleston detectives said today.
Joseph Paul Young, 37, of Rogersville, Mo., eluded FBI agents and members of the Missouri Highway Patrol by jumping into a culvert after crashing his truck several miles from his house last night, Charleston Police Sgt. S.A. Cooper said. Because of darkness and inclement weather, officers were unable to track him after the culvert emptied into a nearby river, he said.
Young may be responsible for as many as 40 robberies in multiple states, Cooper said.
Charleston police were able to identify Young after a citizen called in a tip about seeing someone driving a truck with out-of-state license plates acting suspiciously on Tuesday. Hours later, the Summit Community bank at Southridge was robbed, and police released photos of the suspect and his vehicle, a black pickup truck, to the media.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court, the tipster saw a similar truck with Missouri plates driving slowly, as if the driver were lost, before the truck pulled in to the First Bank of Charleston on Washington Street West around 6:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
Using surveillance video from the bank's ATM, police confirmed that the driver was the suspect from the bank robbery. After getting subpoenas for his bank records, police identified the man via his bank account at the Guaranty Bank in Springfield, Mo.
"It turns out he was checking his account balance," Cooper said.
The tipster saw a picture of the suspect's truck during a television newscast, and decided to call police, Cooper said.
The "Plaid Shirt Robber," so-called because bank footage shows him wearing plaid shirts in multiple robberies, is believed to be responsible for at least three robberies in the Charleston area, including one in St. Albans on July 25, Cooper said.
Young has a previous bank robbery conviction, Cooper said, but he didn't know details about where or when.
Young allegedly walked into the City National Bank on MacCorkle Avenue on June 27 and handed the teller a note that said, "Robbery, Give Me All Your Money Look Straight Ahead, I do have a weapon and will use it," according to the criminal complaint.
Between the two Charleston robberies, Young made off with about $50,000, Cooper said.
Since Charleston Police identified Young, authorities in Lexington, Va., have said they believe he is responsible for a robbery there, Cooper said.
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Posted By: GenieK(6:45pm 08-21-2008)
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He has been in several states robbing banks, but getting more information and cooperation from West Virginians makes it a good day to be proud of our good folks here and our superior police and media from our home state. It is good to live in a state where everyone works together to find criminals and assist in bringing them to justice. Job well done.
Posted By: Roane(4:02pm 08-21-2008)
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the guy looks just like the man that hit a small red truck at circut city in April only he was driving a black Toyota truck. The license plate on that truck was light background and blue letters. At the time I thought it was a KY plate but now realize that Missouri has about the same colors. The man wore ball hat and had l. sleeve shirt, dark hair and mustache. I watch him get out of his truch and look at the other truck then leave the scene of acc. and I notifieed the owner of the truck other people came forward too. I reported to the police that I thought it was the same man but I could also be wrong too. Sure looks the same.
Interactive map of 15 robberies man is suspected to have perpetrated 
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