Thursday, October 29, 2009
South Florida couple arrested in string of bank robberies
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (WSVN) -- Police have arrested a local couple accused of robbing a dozen banks of thousands of dollars.
Glenn Hooper and his girlfriend, Kimberly Smith, are sitting behind bars at the Palm Beach County Jail after, police said, the couple admitted to robbing 12 banks since May to feed a drug addiction.
According to police, Hooper, 53, and Smith, 52, robbed Sterling Bank located at 1189 Hypoluxo Road in Lantana last month and returned Tuesday to commit the same robbery, only this time, an alert teller ended their crime spree. The worker recognized Hooper and called 911. Authorities pulled the couple over on Interstate 95 and took them into custody.
Officials said the couple of 20 years robbed the banks of $60,000. Police said the pair would drive to Palm Beach County and once to Fort Myers to commit their crimes. Once there, Hooper would calmly walk in and hand the teller a withdrawal slip demanding money. "He doesn't really write anything on it. He comes up, tells the teller he wants to make a withdrawal," said one official.
He then walks out of the bank and into the couple's awaiting car with Smith behind the wheel, according to police.
Hooper told detectives he got greedy. "He was probably getting worn down. He made some utterances earlier on today somewhat in the effect of: 'I just got too brazen, and I needed to go,'" said one official. "So I think you know, unfortunately, you know how far you can take that statement because if we wouldn't have gotten him today, he probably would have gone again."
At their Hollywood home, "For Rent" signs were posted in the windows. It turned out that the couple had not been paying their bills.
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