The man believed to have been responsible for the bank robbery of Liberty State Bank on Tuesday, August 3rd has been arrested. More than $6,000 was taken in the robbery.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 38 year old Craig Anthony Hill of Holmes Creek Road, Smithville turned himself in at the DeKalb County Jail Saturday for a violation of probation.
According to Sheriff Ray, Hill had been a suspect in the bank robbery since the day of the offense, and he allegedly confessed to the crime during questioning on Saturday. Hill was subsequently charged with both violation of probation and aggravated robbery. Hill is under a $100,000 for the robbery but he is currently being held without bond for the violation of probation
He will make a court appearance Monday, August 16th on the violation of probation and Thursday, August 19th for the aggravated robbery
In a brief statement, Sheriff Ray said “On August the 3rd, through an investigation into the robbery, Hill was identified through (bank surveillance) video tapes and other investigative tools to be the person responsible for the robbery. Lawmen had been searching for Hill ever since. Hill, who had been living out of town since this incident, came to the DeKalb County Jail to turn himself in on a violation of probation warrant. While there, he was questioned by Sheriff’s Department Detectives about the robbery and admitted his involvement in the robbery of Liberty State Bank.
The warrant alleges that “On or about the 3rd day of August 2010, Craig Anthony Hill did enter the Liberty State Bank in Liberty Tennessee presenting the teller with a note stating “Give me the money in 20’s and 100’s, I have a gun” thus putting the teller in fear of her life. The teller at that point took the cash from her drawer and gave it to Craig Hill as instructed. The amount of money taken during the robbery was in excess of $6,000.”
On that day , Sheriff Ray said the robber was described by witnesses as a white male, wearing an orange plaid shirt and blue jeans. He was also wearing a camoflagued hat with sunglasses on the cap. The man had no covering over his face. He was approximately five feet, five inches tall and weighed about 130 pounds.
The man did not display any weapon during the robbery and no one was injured. After he left, a bank employee called 911 at 1:18 p.m. Within a minute of the call, an officer of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, who was on Highway 70 in Liberty, arrived at the bank.
Officers and detectives of the Sheriff’s Department rushed to the scene. Sheriff Ray says he also contacted the FBI and two agents came over. Constable Mark Milam arrived as well.