Crime & Safety
Police: Unarmed, Would-Be Bank Robber Took Seat After Demanding Cash
Prince William County Police said that John Alvin Thomas Jr., 43, of Manassas, did not have a gun and did not imply he had one.
An unarmed man recently strolled into a local Bank of America branch, demanded money, then took a seat until police officers arrived to arrest him, Prince William County Police said.
John Alvin Thomas Jr., 43, of Lomond Drive in the West Gate area of Manassas, was charged with attempted robbery on Nov. 13. Police responded to the incident at 4:42 p.m. Employees at the 8501 Sudley Road branch reported that Thomas had entered the building, approached a staff member and handed over a note asking for money.
Thomas then "calmly took a seat in the bank" while an employee called police in another room, said Prince William County Police Officer Jonathan Perok.
Find out what's happening in Manassaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"The accused was not in possession of a weapon and never implied he had one," Perok said in a press release.
Police took Thomas into custody without incident. His court date is set for Jan. 22. He was held without bond.
Find out what's happening in Manassaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The information in this article was provided by the Prince William County Police Department. Where arrests are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
