Police Nab 'Barbie Bank Bandits' Suspects

(CBS/AP)  Police say they have arrested the so-called "Barbie Bandits," a pair of girls who wore sunglasses and laughed as they robbed a supermarket bank branch, and two other people. One of the alleged accomplices was a bank teller.

The two women are both 19, not about 16 as initially thought.

After a brief car chase, the two women and a man were arrested Thursday by police in Douglas County, about 20 miles from where robbery occurred two days earlier, said sheriff's Maj. M.O. Harper.

"They followed them and I think they stopped them when they pulled into somebody's driveway," Harper said.

Surveillance video shows the robbers giggling and smiling as they hand a teller a note demanding money from the Bank of America branch at a Kroger grocery in Cobb County. Police declined to reveal what the note said or how much money was stolen.

Ashley Miller, Heather Johnston and the teller, Benny Herman Allen III, 22, were charged with felony theft and marijuana possession, said Cobb County Police spokeswoman Cassie Reece. Michael Chastang, 27, who allegedly was in the car with Miller and Johnston, was charged with felony theft and drug trafficking, authorities said.

Police now think the "Barbie Bandits Heist" was an inside job, reports CBS News' Pete Combs (audio).

"It was a conspiracy to take money from the bank," Reece said. "The teller, he was in on it."

That's why the charge is for theft and not bank robbery. The penalty for bank robbery is much steeper, police officer Wayne Delk told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Allen was arrested the day of the incident, on an outstanding warrant from Barlow County, but police did not think he was connected to it. There were also outstanding warrants from neighboring counties for Miller and Chastang.

Cobb County police have not released any other information about the two women or how Chastang is connected to the case.

The store is in a strip mall in an upscale Cobb County neighborhood, 30 miles north of Atlanta. The story has garnered international interest.

[richhong]

The robbery vs. theft issue is a matter of legal definition. Since the teller was an accomplice, there was no actual threat of violence or intimidation, which is the definition of robbery. I'm sure the D.A. would love to charge them with bank robbery, but their crime doesn't fit the legal definition.

[rray52]

Anyone seen a booking photo of the teller who was in on the robbery?

[ramos937]

What is the DA thinking? These people robbed the bank which is a federal offense. Under the law, all are adults and have to be tried as such.

Now that they are in jail and awaiting trial, I will bet any amount that the girls are not smiling and giggling. By now, it has sunk in that they are facing major prison time.

[samthetvcat]

The charges were lowered from robbery to felony theft? That's outrageous. It isn't like this group did a smash and grab at a jewelry store - there's an element of planning, deception and the fear it caused with the public that isn't accounted for.

It doesn't sound like they've been arraigned yet - hopefully the prosecutor'll at least try to get a robbery conviction even if proving use of force is iffy, and also conspiracy, possibly even fraud . . .

[shanev137]

chances are they will both get reduced sentences because they are young, cute girls....just watch.

[jonesforch]

They robbed the bank Federal Bank..they go to jail...for get race it is stupid...lord I'm tired of the race card.

[rhs648]

Corrected

Here we go again! Looking for a racist under every bed. These girls will be treated as criminals as they work their way through the criminal system. A message to all races: stop doing the crime and you won't have to worry about prison, probation, or community service. We keep hearing the argument that blacks are treated differently than blacks. Where is the proof? Just because there are more blacks in prison than whites doesn't mean that whites and blacks are treated differently. It may mean that blacks commit more crimes. Instead of listening to hysterics and emotional arguments, let's have some proof.

[rhs648]

Here we go again! Looking for a racist under every bed. These girls will be treated as crimnals as they work their way through the criminal system. A message to all races: stop doing the crime and you won't have to worry about prison, probation, or community service. We keep hraring the argument that blacks are treated differently than blacks. Where is the proof. Just because there are more blacks in prison than whites, doesn't mean that whites and blacks are treated differently. It may mean that blacks commit more crimes. Instead of listening to hystericcs and emotional arguments, let's have some proof.

[beehive21-2009]

Good time is twenty years no discrimination,everyone gets the same deal, .Bank Robbery is Federal ,Twenty five years.

[rohink-2009]

To Pala
Thank you. I couldn't agree more.