BELLE, W.Va. –A man has been charged in connection to a bank robbery in Belle on Thursday.
According to the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, Richard Donald Brisson, 43, was arrested Monday on a Kanawha County Magistrate Court capias. Deputies allege he robbed Whitesville State Bank in Belle.
Investigators said he allegedly entered the bank and presented a handwritten note demanding money from bank employees. Brisson then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
KCSO spokesperson Jeremy Burns said deputies and troopers with the West Virginia State Police responded to the area immediately after receiving reports of the robbery.
Burns said deputies were able to locate the clothing the suspect was allegedly wearing during the robbery shortly after the incident.
“Our canine Bingo, one of our newest canine on the units, along with his handler Deputy Shamblin, they conducted a track from the bank and it did lead just a few blocks away to an apartment at 114 East Dupont Avenue, and that’s where we discovered the clothing that we saw the bank robber wearing in the surveillance video, we found the black clothing, the hat, the glasses, the wig,” Burns said.
During the robbery, Brisson allegedly appeared to reach into his pocket, leading bank employees to believe he may have been armed.
Burns said investigators have confirmed that no weapon was displayed during the robbery.
“Now I can say during the bank robbery, a weapon was never actually presented,” he said.
Additionally, Burns said surveillance video from the neighborhood showed Brisson in the area wearing the same clothing. He was also later observed with his girlfriend, Shana Pettry.
Burns said investigators interviewed Pettry, who allegedly admitted to writing the robbery note for Brisson. He said she also acknowledged living with Brisson at the address where a K-9 track ended near the end of May. No charges have been filed against Pettry.
However, Burns said the investigation remains ongoing.
“This is still an ongoing investigation, so anything is possible,” he said.
Brisson is being held at the South Central Regional Jail pending further court proceedings.
Anyone with further information, is encourged to contact Detective Boner at 304-357-0556