Man arrested for threatening to rob Banco Popular branch
A man has been arrested after threatening to rob the Banco Popular branch in Estate Thomas.
Lester Maddox, 54, who is homeless, was arrested Monday and charged with trespass and disturbance of the peace, according to police.
At his advice-of-rights hearing Wednesday, Magistrate Judge Carolyn Hermon-Percell said the trespass charge was “problematic,” as the bank is a business accessible to the public.
Assistant V.I. Attorney General John Barraco argued the charge was appropriate as Maddox refused to go after a security guard asked him to leave but agreed to withdraw that count.
At 10:46 a.m. Monday, officers responded to a panic alarm at the bank, and dispatchers indicated “that someone was trying to rob the bank at that time,” according to an affidavit filed by police.
Upon arrival, a bank manager told officers that the suspect, Maddox, who was walking with two crutches, was still creating a disturbance inside.
The security guard told police Maddox had walked in and loudly repeated, “Good morning, good afternoon, this is a stickup,” according to the affidavit.
Police detained and searched Maddox, who didn’t have any weapons.
Responding to police asking him what he was doing, he replied, “I said, what I said,” and declined to cooperate further, according to the affidavit.
Maddox was placed under citizen’s arrest and identified as “a known vagrant,” police said.
Judge Hermon-Percell released Maddox on his recognizance and ordered him not to enter the Banco Popular branch.
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