Robbery suspect, accomplice captured after threatening to blow up Parrish bank, Manatee deputies say
PARRISH, Fla. - Manatee deputies arrested two bank robbery suspects, hours after one held up a Parrish bank and threatened to blow up the building before his accomplice helped him flee the area.
The sheriff's office said 55-year-old Robert Dietrich Frascella walked into the Fifth Third Bank, located at 11215 US 301 and Chin Road in Parrish, around 2:40 p.m. Monday. He dropped a package on the bank counter along with a note demanding cash and a threatening statement about "blowing up" the bank, investigators said.
After the teller handed over an undisclosed amount of cash, deputies said the suspect walked out of the bank.
The bomb squad responded to the scene to investigate a box found in the bag left behind at the bank. The sheriff's office said only glassware was found inside.
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(Manatee County Sheriff's Office)
On Monday night, detectives tracked down Frascella and charged him with armed robbery and false threat of an explosive device.
They then learned that his accomplice, 31-year-old Thomas Harris, acted as the driver of the getaway vehicle and was part of the bank robbery plan. Harris was also charged with armed robbery and false threat of an explosive device.
Both men were taken into custody, and investigators said several pieces of evidence were found in their possession. Some of the stolen money was also recovered, the sheriff's office said.