KENT ISLAND BANK of AMERICA FEMALE ROBBER CHARGED

PRESS RELEASE

KENT ISLAND BANK of AMERICA FEMALE ROBBER CHARGED

Incident:              Bank Robbery

Date / Time:       4/11/2014 @ 1728 Hours

Location:              Bank of America, 1114 Shopping Center Road, Stevensville, MD

Original Narrative:           Suspect entered the bank and while at the teller window demanded money. No weapon was displayed but the suspect indicated there was one. Upon getting an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect fled on foot heading towards RT 18. None of the bank employees and customers in the bank were harmed.

The suspect is believed to be a white female wearing a wig, baseball hat, dark sunglasses white long sleeve shirt and brown shorts.

Witnesses in the area reported seeing a dark colored Honda passenger car possibly with Virginia plates parked for an extended time nearby. A second suspect was reported to be in the car, an African-American male with “dreds”.

Sheriff’s Units assisted by Maryland State Police and Centreville K9 searched the area after the incident aided by MSP Aviation.

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Charged:              Athena Lau Yancey (32) of Virginia Beach, VA.

Charges:              One count of robbery, theft over $1,000.00, conspiracy to commit robbery, and conspiracy to commit theft over $1,000.00.

Update Narrative:

Sheriff Gary Hofmann is reporting that Queen Anne’s Co. Sheriff’s Detectives were contacted by an agent from the Annapolis FBI Field Office and advised that items collected near the scene of the bank robbery had been tested for DNA and the results entered into the CODIS System.

Some of the recovered DNA was then traced to Athena Lau Yancey of Virginia Beach, Virginia. The FBI was also able to advise that Yancey was currently incarcerated in North Carolina charged with the robbery of two banks in that area.

On April 17th, 2014 minutes before 5 p.m., the Camden County Sheriff’s Office got a 911 call about an armed robbery at the Towne Bank of Currituck. Witnesses said an armed woman wearing a wig showed a demand note and took cash then ran behind the bank, down the street behind a dry dock boat repair facility. When deputies searched the area, they located the woman with the cash hiding in a boat. Yancey was arrested and charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon. An additional suspect, 24-year-old Jesse Lee Baker of Virginia Beach, was arrested and charged with aid and abet robbery with a dangerous weapon after he was spotted driving a vehicle parked down the street. There is no indication Baker was involved in the Kent Island Robbery.

When Yancey was interviewed she admitted to committing a bank robbery in the town of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina several days prior. That robbery was committed the same way where she dressed in a wig and glasses and passed a note. In that robbery she was seen with a black male in a silver Honda with VA tags. Yancey admitted to this robbery, but would not provide the black male’s information.

QA Detectives traveled to North Carolina to interview Yancey and to obtain controlled DNA swabs. Upon their return, charges were filed and a detainer placed with North Carolina officials. Yancey also has a parole violation from Virginia.

“The joint investigation by several agencies has been outstanding and has resulted in the charges against Yancey despite her being out of state” said Sheriff Hofmann.

Sheriff Hofmann advises that continued investigation has developed information on the second suspect in the Bank of America robbery in Stevensville. Charges are expected on that subject in the near future.

2014 04 11 Bank Robber in Security Photo Athena Lau Yancey NC Mug Shot 2014 04 11 Bank of America Robbery Jessie Lee Baker                 Athena Lau Yancey

INVESTIGATION:              Detective Steve Matthews

ASSIST:                                 Detective Chase Armington, MSP Crime Lab, Centreville PD K-9, FBI, North Carolina LE