The man accused of wearing a lifelike mask to commit a bank robbery in Cornelius on Dec. 29 has been caught in Texas, police said.
Cornelius police said Benoit Constant was arrested by police in Wichita Falls, Texas in connection to the Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union robbery.
Constant was stopped during a routine traffic stop on Sunday. He initially gave troopers a false name, and then confessed to being wanted out of North Carolina.
IMAGES: Scene of manhunt in reported bank robbery
During the traffic stop, police said Constant tried to flee on foot, but was apprehended.
Constant is awaiting an extradition hearing to return to North Carolina where he will be charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and making a false bomb report.
On Dec. 29, Cornelius police responded to an armed robbery at the bank on West Catawba Avenue where the suspect was wearing a disguise and pointed a handgun at the teller and got away with money.
Officers who responded to the scene located a bicycle and cash behind a shopping center nearby. Witnesses told police a silver minivan had been parked in that area.
Police said prior to the robbery, Cornelius police responded to a bomb threat at the YMCA. Police said the bomb threat was a diversion to pull officers away from the area of the bank.
The license plate on the minivan was caught on surveillance video and was tracked back to Milandra Constant, who police said was an accomplice in the robbery. She was apprehended in Maryland, police said.
During the search of the minivan in Maryland, detectives located the bag and lifelike mask seen in the bank surveillance videos.
Milandra Constant was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and making a false bomb report.
Police are still investigating to see if Benoit and Milandra Constant are linked to any other bank robberies across the country.
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Cornelius police said Benoit Constant was arrested by police in Wichita Falls, Texas in connection to the Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union robbery.
Constant was stopped during a routine traffic stop on Sunday. He initially gave troopers a false name, and then confessed to being wanted out of North Carolina.
IMAGES: Scene of manhunt in reported bank robbery
During the traffic stop, police said Constant tried to flee on foot, but was apprehended.
Constant is awaiting an extradition hearing to return to North Carolina where he will be charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and making a false bomb report.
On Dec. 29, Cornelius police responded to an armed robbery at the bank on West Catawba Avenue where the suspect was wearing a disguise and pointed a handgun at the teller and got away with money.
Officers who responded to the scene located a bicycle and cash behind a shopping center nearby. Witnesses told police a silver minivan had been parked in that area.
Police said prior to the robbery, Cornelius police responded to a bomb threat at the YMCA. Police said the bomb threat was a diversion to pull officers away from the area of the bank.
The license plate on the minivan was caught on surveillance video and was tracked back to Milandra Constant, who police said was an accomplice in the robbery. She was apprehended in Maryland, police said.
During the search of the minivan in Maryland, detectives located the bag and lifelike mask seen in the bank surveillance videos.
Milandra Constant was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and making a false bomb report.
Police are still investigating to see if Benoit and Milandra Constant are linked to any other bank robberies across the country.
READ MORE:
- Police: Man pulls off Cornelius bank heist wearing lifelike mask
- Police: Woman arrested in connection with armed bank robbery
- Police search for man after Cornelius bank robbery
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