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Sheriff: Man who robbed bank wore 'fake beard’ as disguise likely linked to other robberies

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Union County deputies arrested a man Thursday afternoon following a wild chase that started in Indian Trail after a bank robbery and ended on U.S. Highway 521 at the South Carolina state line.

On Friday, the sheriff’s office said the suspect, David Pyler, was likely connected to a handful of recent bank robberies that took place in Gaston County.

Authorities said the SunTrust Bank in Indian Trial was robbed at about 4 p.m. Thursday. Responding deputies spotted a gray Nissan Versa with a 30-day tag and tried to pull it over but the driver would not stop and, instead, led authorities on a chase onto I-485 headed toward Pineville.

The chase lasted several miles, through Pineville and eventually onto U.S. 521 into South Carolina before it ended near Southern Spirits in Indian Land, where the driver rammed a deputy’s patrol car. Pyler was then taken into custody.

“I’m glad they got him now, and he will stop robbing banks now,” bank customer John Bowman said.

During the bank robbery, the man was wearing a disguise using a hat, sunglasses and a possible fake beard, authorities said. Investigators said he is likely the same man who used a disguise to rob three other banks in Belmont.

“I think there’s a number of disguises that were being used in a number of robberies and some of the similar M.O., the motive, the communication, the note, the way the robbery was actually carried out,” Underwood said.

After Thursday’s chase, the suspect was taken to a medical facility and faces several charges.

In a news release, Sheriff Eddie Cathey praised the response by deputies and work by Union County Communications dispatchers relaying accurate and timely information.

He also said he expressed his appreciation for assistance from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina State Highway Patrol.

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