Published: November 04, 2009 08:29 am      

Suspect in custody for Madison Bank robbery

Richmond police arrested a man early Tuesday morning in connection with Monday’s robbery of a Madison Bank branch.

Leon Rozell Noland Jr., 47, of Francis Street, was arrested shortly after 1:30 a.m. and charged with first-degree robbery, said Sgt. Willard Reardon, Richmond Police Department spokesman.

A man fitting the description of the suspect, and later identified as Noland, was spotted at Walmart on the Eastern Bypass by police Maj. Steve Gregg, who summoned officers to the store, Reardon said.

Police stopped Noland’s Chevrolet Trailblazer in the area of Boggs Lane and the bypass and took him into custody, Reardon said.

Investigators determined shortly after Monday’s robbery that the suspect had fled the area on foot before getting into a Dodge Intrepid parked on Water Street, Reardon said.

A tall, heavyset black male wearing a navy blue jacket or hooded sweatshirt and a fake beard walked into the bank’s branch on the court square around 8:50 a.m. Monday and demanded money while brandishing a firearm.

The investigation led police to contact EKU Police, who were investigating someone who fit the suspect’s description for an unrelated offense, Reardon said, and eventually drew investigators to Somerset.

Richmond police, assisted by Somerset Police Department officers, located the car used in the robbery, but did not find the suspect, Reardon said.

Once Noland was taken into custody, police determined the Trailblazer he was driving had been purchased with cash in Somerset shortly after the robbery took place, Reardon said.

Noland also was found to be renting a motel room at the Country Hearth Inn on the Eastern Bypass, Reardon said, and a search warrant for the room was obtained.

A search of the room uncovered a handgun and the majority of the stolen money, Reardon said.

When counting the money used to purchase the Trailblazer, Reardon said police have recovered all but a few hundred dollars of the stolen money.

Noland is lodged in the Madison County Detention Center in lieu of a $75,000 cash bond. Reardon said Tuesday that police have not yet connected Noland to a robbery last week at A+ Check Exchange, on Commercial Drive.

The suspect in that robbery had a similar description to the one issued in Monday’s robbery, and Reardon said Monday that police were examining the possibility the two robberies were linked.

The bank reopened for business Tuesday morning after remaining closed Monday to allow police to investigate the scene.

Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694.