An alleged bank robber didn't even make it to the parking lot as he was detained by a group of unidentified customers in the Newberry bank he was trying to rob, police say.
Antwone Casimir Cormier, 27, of 834 Franklin St., faces three felony charges of robbery as well as misdemeanor charges for theft, receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment and simple assault.
According to police, at about 4 p.m. on Friday, Cormier entered the M&T Bank branch office at 2001 W. Fourth St.
He handed a clerk a bag and note that indicated that the nobody would be hurt if the clerk filled the bag with money, according to the affidavit.
Cormier, who was acting aggressively according to witnesses, had his hands hidden from view. The teller told police he was unable to determine whether or not Cormier was armed.
An unidentified customer recognized that something was wrong and decided to take action. The man slipped out the back door and held it closed, preventing Cormier from fleeing the scene.
He then opened the door, grabbed Cormier, and pinned him on the floor. Several other unidentified customers assisted and the group managed to detain Cormier until city police arrived.
In the affidavit, police said they arrived to find several people holding a struggling Cormier down in the foyer of the building. According to police, $425 in $1 bills was scattered on the floor around and underneath Cormier.
Cormier, who was found guilty of theft in 2008, was taken into custody. He was transported to police headquarters where he allegedly confessed to the robbery.
He was arraigned Friday evening before District Judge James H. Sortman and is incarcerated at the county prison in lieu of $200,000 bail.
It is the second robbery that has occurred at the Newberry branch of M&T Bank this month.
No arrests have been made in connection to the first robbery, which occurred Dec. 4.
Police declined to comment on whether the two cases are related.
