MALDEN - Authorities say they may have one of the men whorobbed the First State Community Bank of Malden last week in custody. The man, whose name is not being released pending criminal charges, was arrested in Sikeston on outstanding Dunklin County warrants and is being held in the Dunklin County Jail in Kennett.
In the meantime the search continues for two other bank robbers - and possibly a fourth suspect.
"The investigation is making progress," Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder said this morning. "We are pursuing other suspects and have some good leads we are following up on."
The bank robbery took place the morning of May 22. Authorities said three black males, at least one of whom was armed with a handgun, had entered the bank and left minutes later with an undisclosed amount of cash.No one was injured during the holdup.
Malden Police Chief Rod Dill confirmed last week there is a video surveillance tape of the robbery, and that the suspects were dressed in dark tops and blue jeans at the time, he said. He indicated their faces were covered.
Dill said the bank robbers apparently made their get-away in a blue Toyota, which had been reported stolen from Kennett. That vehicle was later found abandoned behind the Dixie Car Wash, a few blocks from the bank. Authorities believe the suspects then got into a second vehicle, a white Toyota, which had also been reported stolen from Kennett.
The white car was found abandoned behind some buildings at the intersection of Highways D and 25, at the old Malden Lime Company, Dill said.
Authorities believe the bank robbers switched to a third vehicle, possibly driven by a fourth suspect.