Chapin, SC (WLTX) - The suspect in the May robbery of a bank in Chapin has been arrested in the Upstate.
Chapin Police Chief Dave Rodgers says Jason Lamar Storms was arrested Tuesday in the town of Lyman.
"I'm so happy he's arrested. He was putting a lot of people's lives in danger," said Rodgers.
Rodgers believes he's responsible for the May 15 robbery of the Wachovia on Columbia Avenue in Chapin, as well as at least seven other bank robberies in South Carolina and Georgia. The latest robbery occured a week ago. In all it's believed by law enforcement that he's stolen more than $300,000.
Rodgers says Chief Terry Richards in Lyman got a call Tuesday of a gold Ford Taurus which was parked halfway in the road outside of a home. Richards went to the car to check it out, and noticed that the vehicle's license tag had been removed.
A few moments later, Storms came up to the vehicle, apparently having just walked over from a nearby Wachovia bank. Richards said Storms seemed suspicious, in part because he was wearing long-sleeved clothing in the middle of July and had a bandana made from a cut-up sweatshirt around his neck.
Richards decided to place him in handcuffs. After getting permission to search the vehicle, Rodgers says Richards found a handgun, a license plate, and a Boston Red Sox cap inside.
"It matched the description of what he used in all the other bank robberies, including ours," said Rodgers.
After Storms was detained, officers say they found gloves in his one pocket and a trash bag in the other--the same materials he used in the Chapin robbery.
Rodgers says law enforcement believes Storms intended to rob the Wachovia in Lyman, but was thwarted by Richards.
"He's watching places like two to three days before he hits them. It takes a pretty patient, smart person to do that. But to then go to a small town and park illegally without your tags on, that's pretty stupid," said Rodgers.
Once Storms was arrested, officers from Chapin and other law enforcement agencies went to Lyman to collect evidence. Rodgers says a boot impression taken at the Chapin robbery matches Storms's footwear.
In the Chapin robbery, officers say the suspect walked into the bank armed with a semi-automatic pistol. He then demanded that the bank manager get on the ground. Officers say he then forced the tellers to open up their money drawers and the vault.
After taking an undisclosed amount of money, he then left the bank. When he saw law enforcement in the area, he ran back inside.
Shortly afterward, he was able to exit the building again. The store employees locked themselves in the vault after he left.
Chief Rodgers says Storms will be brought to Lexington County after a bond is set in Lyman.
7/30/2009 8:41:21 AM
