CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It didn’t take Charleston police officers long to track down a man accused of robbing a bank Wednesday morning.
Police said Basil Smith, 37, of Charleston, was captured about five minutes after the call came in to 911.
Chief of Detectives Lt. Steve Cooper said Smith walked into the WesBanco on Tennessee Ave and demanded cash but never showed a weapon. There were several customers in the bank at the time as well as numerous employees.
Smith fled on foot but he didn’t get far.
“Fortunately [our officers] ran into the robber as he was leaving the area,” said Cooper. “[He got] about two or three blocks.”
Cooper explained it wasn’t hard to identify the suspect. That’s because bank employees gave police a very detailed description. Smith was wearing a purple jacket and a baseball cap, with a large McDonald’s logo.
He was taken into custody without incident. Police found all the stolen money still on him. He’s being held in the South Central Regional Jail.