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Police release names of 6 bank robbery suspects

02:45 PM EDT on Thursday, September 11, 2008

By GLENN COUNTS / NewsChannel 36
E-mail Glenn: GCounts@WCNC.com

Demario Keith Abraham

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Six bank robbery suspects were arrested Wednesday after a manhunt involving a helicopter and police dogs.

Investigators say the men may have robbed the same bank the night before. They were identified Thursday as:

John Thomas Smith

Demario Keith Abraham, 22

John Thomas Smith, 24

Herwett Edward Conway, 36

Willie Cole, 20

Greg Lee Daniels Jr., 19

Lavarius Rodriguez Hall, 24

Herwett Edward Conway

The effort to find the robbers was massive, quick and successful. Police brought in their helicopter, dogs and saturated the area.

The six suspects allegedly robbed the Banco de la Gente located at 6300 South Tryon around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. A witness saw them ditch their car and reported it. Then, an officer spotted them.

Willie Cole

"As he was passing Arrowood and Windsong he saw the suspect vehicle. As he turned around on them is when the vehicle wrecked," said Officer Jean Wassenaar with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Police caught four suspects immediately. One was near Kayla Moise's home.

Greg Lee Daniels Jr.

"It’s not very welcoming," Moise said. "We were scared. The police told us we had to go all the way up the road."

Two of the suspects tried to patiently wait out the cops. But the K-9 unit tracked them down and officers demanded they surrender, which they did without incident.

“All I saw was the movement of the vegetation, but it was so thick you couldn’t see anybody. So, I just jumped over and landed right beside one of the guys," said Officer J.D. Hoskins.

Lavarius Rodriguez Hall

Police say that only four of the suspects walked into the bank. Officers found guns and some cash near the wreck. Police are trying to determine if these suspects are the same ones who robbed the same bank on Tuesday.