Prosper Bank Robbery Suspect Caught In McKinney
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PROSPER (CBSDFW.COM) - Police say quick detective work and help by an observant public helped lead to the capture of the suspect in Thursday's robbery of the Independent Bank branch in Prosper.
"The individual is now in custody, thanks to the efforts of several law enforcement agencies," said Prosper Police Sgt. Bryan Golden. "The public also had a hand in the resolution of this case by providing tips that proved to be of very high value."
The McKinney Police Department, the Collin County Sheriff's Office, the office of Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Rangers were also involved in the investigation.
Prosper Detective Sam Owens also credits the public and their involvement. "Almost as soon as the photos and description were added to our social media sites, we began to get tips from the public," he said. "Many of those calls were instrumental in identifying and locating the suspect."
Leonard Ray Bass, 50, was arrested and remains in custody in connection with the robbery in Prosper. He's been implicated in at least three other bank robberies in the local area, having served some prison time in the past for these crimes. He is currently being held in the Collin County Jail under a $150,000 bond.
Owens says Bass was detained around 6:00pm Thursday and his vehicle searched. Cash, with identifying markers from the bank, along with the clothing worn during the robbery, were found in the vehicle and police say he confessed to the crime.
"The tellers at the bank exhibited the kind of professional calm that is part of their training," said Owens. "They handled it by the book and that is to their credit. "
No weapons were displayed during the robbery and none were found with the suspect.
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