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Timothy Shane Mitchell (photo by Dannie Oliveaux)
A local judge set bond at $1,104,750 for a Kountze man who was arrested and charged with robbing CommunityBank in Lumberton on June 6.
According to Lumberton Police Chief Danny Sullins, Timothy Shane Mitchell, 37, was arraigned before Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Melissa Minton, who set bail at $1 million on the aggravated robbery charge, with bond conditions. Sullins said Mitchell was charged with one count of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, with a potential prison term from 5 to 99 years.
According to information from the Hardin County inmate roster, Mitchell was arrested June 6 for aggravated robbery, theft of property between $2,500 and $30,000, criminally trespassing, burglary of a vehicle and credit or debit card abuse. As of press time, Mitchell was still listed on the inmate roster.
During a press conference the day of Mitchell’s arrest, Sullins said Mitchell entered the CommunityBank in Kountze at about 11 a.m. and handed a teller a note stating he had a gun and demanded money.
“The teller complied and handed the money off,” said Sullins.
Sullins said Lumberton Police Department Sgt. Dale Tinsley located a vehicle matching the description of the robber’s vehicle heading northbound on U.S. 69 at the CVS Pharmacy shortly thereafter.
“It was within minutes after the robbery,” Sullins noted. “The suspect said, ‘I’m who you’re looking for.’”
“The suspect was very cooperative and didn’t give us any trouble at all,” the police chief added. “He didn’t give us any trouble physically and, when he was ordered to step out the vehicle, he was very compliant. He has remorse.”
When asked why Mitchell robbed the bank, Sullins said the suspect told investigators, “He needed the money.”
The chief said this was the first-ever bank robbery in the city’s history.