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Man charged with trying to rob bank
CITIZEN STAFF
A man who allegedly tried to rob a bank with a pair of shorts on his head, but changed his mind halfway through the attempt, was arrested Friday.
Eli Escalera, 43, was charged with attempted bank robbery after an alleged try at the First State Bank of the Florida Keys' branch on Stock Island.
Escalera allegedly walked into the bank at 12:30 p.m. with a pair of shorts on his head and handed one of the tellers a note that said "give me what are 20s and 50s," according to Monroe County sheriff's spokeswoman Deputy Becky Herrin. The teller asked him, "What do you want?" Escalera replied, "Never mind" and walked out of the bank, Herrin said.
The bank manager called a detective, who was close by and responded. The Sheriff's Office issued a be-on-the-lookout alert with Escalera's description to deputies, who were told to look for a Hispanic man with scars on his face, wearing a blue shirt and dark-colored cargo pants, Herrin said.
A deputy in the area, who looked down Fifth Street as he approached it and MacDonald Avenue, saw a man fitting Escalera's description who was taking off his pants. When Escalera saw the deputy, he allegedly jumped on his bike and rode away.
Escalera was arrested near Fifth Street and Third Avenue, and the discarded clothes were taken as evidence, Herrin said.
A witness identified Escalera as the man who had tried to rob the bank. She also identified the clothes he had discarded as those he was wearing at the time of the robbery, Herrin said.
CITIZEN STAFF
A man who allegedly tried to rob a bank with a pair of shorts on his head, but changed his mind halfway through the attempt, was arrested Friday.
Eli Escalera, 43, was charged with attempted bank robbery after an alleged try at the First State Bank of the Florida Keys' branch on Stock Island.
Escalera allegedly walked into the bank at 12:30 p.m. with a pair of shorts on his head and handed one of the tellers a note that said "give me what are 20s and 50s," according to Monroe County sheriff's spokeswoman Deputy Becky Herrin. The teller asked him, "What do you want?" Escalera replied, "Never mind" and walked out of the bank, Herrin said.
The bank manager called a detective, who was close by and responded. The Sheriff's Office issued a be-on-the-lookout alert with Escalera's description to deputies, who were told to look for a Hispanic man with scars on his face, wearing a blue shirt and dark-colored cargo pants, Herrin said.
A deputy in the area, who looked down Fifth Street as he approached it and MacDonald Avenue, saw a man fitting Escalera's description who was taking off his pants. When Escalera saw the deputy, he allegedly jumped on his bike and rode away.
Escalera was arrested near Fifth Street and Third Avenue, and the discarded clothes were taken as evidence, Herrin said.
A witness identified Escalera as the man who had tried to rob the bank. She also identified the clothes he had discarded as those he was wearing at the time of the robbery, Herrin said.
